Grand Final 2016 - Nottingham vs Manchester

Grand Final – Nottingham vs Manchester

Grand final day, this is what we’d all been waiting for and working so hard towards all year. For the third week in a row we weaved our way through the standard car accidents and roadworks of the M6 on our way to Manchester.

The Mosquito’s being the only team to beat the Scorps in the season we were going in as underdogs, although 5 out of the 6 quarters we had played them in this season were decided by less than a kick. With a close to full strength Scorpions squad available we knew we’d have to put in 4 quarters of our best, but each and every one of us had full belief in each other to get the job done and we knew we had the Manchester boys worried too.

Unfortunately, once the ball was first thrown up the Mozzies jumped out of the gates quickly with 3 goals in the first 5 minutes and won the quarter 52-15. The Scorps fought hard in the second quarter stringing some great runs of play together lead by the experience of Ash out of the middle and Kearney up forward finishing in front of goals well. But as was the story of the day we felt like we would take one step forward and two steps back, with the mozzies using their speed and fitness to find too much space slamming on a number of late goals in the first half taking the half time score to 95-40.

The third quarter only got worse with the Mozzies continually piling on the pressure and things could have been a lot worse without the hard work of the backline, lead by Ritchie at full back, Keith doing what he’s done so well for the last 12 years and Josh playing almost the full game running with only one string left on the bone and even managed to slot a couple goals through for the day too.
Absolute credit to the lads never quitting on the game and winning the final quarter 4 goals to 3, finally playing Scorpions footy that we had played throughout the season. We lifted our tackling pressure and lead to better teamwork. Disappointing we couldn’t play this way for the first three quarters but it showed the high level that this bunch of blokes are capable of and that we really aren’t far off taking out the cup. Congrats to Manchester as they were the better team on the day winning 156-73.

A huge congratulations to Ashley Swift for taking out the best British player in the AFLCNE award and Tom Stone for taking out the League Leading Goal Scorer Award. A huge effort and achievement from both of these blokes, thoroughly deserved.
Even though it was a dog of a day on the field for us, the transformation from only winning 3 games last season to making the Grand Final can’t be underestimated. Neil did a great job putting his hand up for coaching responsibilities at the start of the season and all the boys put in a huge amount of hard work off the field to turn around our performances on the field.

On behalf of all the boys I’d like to thank everyone for all for the support and kind messages that have been sent to us leading up to the weekend. Also to everyone that has volunteered their time to help out throughout the season, sporting clubs don’t survive without you, Charlene Swift leading the way all season.

Finally last, but certainly not least, Keith Farr and Lee Neicho have announced they are hanging up the boots (at least for now). Both these guys have been around the Scorpions for about as long as anyone at the club and will be sorely missed, best of luck for the future lads. The Scorps won’t be the same without you!

Final Score
Nottingham 11.7.73
Manchester 23.18.156

Goals: Kearney 4, Josh 2, Ash, Jamie, Tombstone, Dicko, Neicho 1.
Best: 3. Ash , 2. Kearney, 1. Ritchie

DotD goes to myself as it was also my last game for the Scorps before I get shipped back off to Aus and was pre empted that I would be a dick at my going away party. Probably quite fitting that I got DOTD on my first game at the club and now my last!

Match report courtesy of DotD Dicko.