WITH winners all across the park, Coreen-Daysdale Hopefield-Buraja United romped to premiership glory against Coleambally on Saturday.
The Saints won the first half convincingly then ran rampant in the third quarter to set up a 21.17 (143) to 9.8 (62) win before a crowd of more than 4000 people at Rennie.
The Saints' big guns responded to two weeks of internal and external pressure to turn on a dominant display.
Murray Longmire's "pinch hitting" role on a wing earned him best-afield honours, the star returning to the side and providing lengthy and relentless drive with his raking right foot.
Runner-up in the best and fairest and Saints full-forward Doug Lavis kicked eight goals, most from strong, contested marks, others the result of clever roving.
Around him Leigh Bedford and Glenn Edwards ensured it was not a one-man show, providing plenty of highlights including a purple patch from Edwards in the third quarter that went a long way to sealing the game.
The rotating midfield of coach Jarrod Hanrahan, Charles Cay and Jeremy Sandral secured the bulk of centre breaks and the defence led by Clinton Pitchers and Brad Talbot snuffed out most attacks while providing quick and damaging rebound.
"We knew we had to work hard this year to get it, and that's the thrill of winning them," Hanrahan said.
"Coleambally, they're a proud club and they're great to play against.
"But we set ourselves highly and we knew our best would be good enough.
"We had to match them in the things they are good at, and that's what we did early.
"Then as we grew in confidence we knew we had the side to take it out.
"We stuck to our task, and they kept coming and we just weathered their storms and put them away.
"It's fantastic, we're over the moon."
Perfect conditions for football saw the Saints seize the opportunity with a six-goal to one first quarter.
After a typically tough, scrappy opening which saw many more tackles than marks Lavis finally found space to evade and snap the opener.
Coleambally was quick to reply through Nicholas Donnellon but already the Saints forward trio were starting to show signs, with Edwards, Bedford and Lavis three times again finding the big sticks.
Sensing trouble Blues coach Matt Gleeson urged his players at quarter time to return to the basics and just try to win the ball.
Coleambally responded with John Bull, Jackson Painting and Tom Groves all starting to get on top, but wayward disposal proved costly for the Blues and their best quarter went by with only four goals to show for it on the scoreboard.
But the Saints were finding space and everyone was getting in on the act.
Smooth movers Paul Lavis and Chris Baksh started to make their mark on the game, Xavier Mardling and Damian Talbot rotated effectively against a valiant Scott Fairweather in the ruck, and Shayne Matthews and Nathan Cooper were racking up possessions across the middle.
The trend got worse for Coleambally in the third with Longmire hitting top gear, Mark House getting on the scoreboard and the Saints enjoying superior numbers to contests.
Edwards was a livewire up forward, and the defence twice cleared Coleambally attacks from the last line.
With a 12-goal lead and all the momentum the Saints were home but Hanrahan pulled out all stops in the three-quarter time speech to ensure his troops finished with a bang.
Coleambally through Andrew McGown, Shane and Jay Pound made the last quarter an even contest but it was to no avail as the CDHBU entity rejoiced in its first flag upon the siren.
Stunned Blues coach Matt Gleeson paid tribute to the opposition.
"They just well and truly deserved it today," Gleeson said.
"After the first quarter we tried to just get back to basics, try to win the ball, instead of chasing them.
"But it didn't happen, they were too good.
"Every contest we've had with them has been pretty good and regardless of the score it's always fun.
"But today they just wanted it more.
"We couldn't get out of first gear but it that's all just history now."
Last Modified on 29/07/2011 12:44