RFL Grand Finals: Reserve Grade

By James Matthey

Collingullie showed their First Grade side how it’s done when they claimed the Reserve Grade premiership on Sunday.

In a brutal encounter with Mangoplah Cookardinia United Eastlakes, the Demons took the spoils after outplaying MCUE in a 98-70 victory.

It was obvious from the early exchanges that the match would be a bruising affair, with contested footy proving to be the order of the day.

Scoring was proving difficult for both teams in the opening minutes, as the two clubs’ placed a heavy emphasis on their defensive pressure.

Honours were fairly even at the end of the first term, but a long bomb from MCUE gave them a slender 19-14 lead.

Collingullie started the better of the opposing teams straight after the break, kicking three of the first four goals to stretch their advantage to 14 points.

MCUE replied with a quick goal, but Collingullie again took control with two majors late in the term to move to the main break up 54-32.

The tide began to change in the third term though as Collingullie struggled to convert their numerous forward 50 entries into points, managing just a single goal for the term.

Some poor kicking meant MCUE almost let Collingullie off the hook, at one stage kicking four behinds in a row, but goals late in the quarter saw them surge to the half century mark at three quarter time,just 12 points in arrears.

The Demons scored two of the first three goals of the final term to be on the right side of a 74-56 scoreline, before scoring another crucial major to stretch their lead to 24 points.

Another goal from a set shot propelled Collingullie to a 28-point advantage with just 10 minutes left in the final quarter.

MCUE refused to give up, scoring two goals in the final five minutes of the term, but at that stage the result was no longer in doubt, with Collingullie securing a 98-70 win.

Collingullie’s Jack Turnbull celebrated his first season of football at the club with the award for best-on-ground.