North Cairns recovered from a terrible opening quarter to claim a thrilling AFL Cairns reserve grade grand final by five points over Port Douglas at Cazalys on Saturday.
Only the clubs diehard supporters could have predicted the Tigers would finish 8.10-58 to 8.5-53 in front at full time given what their team produced earlier in the contest.
The Tigers were well of the pace and looked like they should start preparing their runners-up speech when they went into their first break 23 points down.
But Tigers coach Gavin Ham was having none of it, imploring his players to lift their intensity and play football he knew they were capable of.
“We got the wind in the first quarter and we didn’t show any form and I was concerned they wouldn’t respond n the second quarter,” Ham said. “I told the boys we wouldn’t win the game with aggression and trying to clean blokes up and I think that happened.
“The blokes toed the line, stuck to footy and came home with it.”
The Tigers discovered their run in the second quarter, with best on ground Sammy Kris and full forward Jesse Batten leading the revival.
The Crocs stalled like a clapped out Kingswood and could do little to stop the Tigers claiming the lead for the first time in the third quarter.
With the supporters cheering them on in the stands, the Tigers looked like they had the game won when they opened up a 17 point lead early in the final term.
But the Crocs were not finished; with two goals in five minutes reducing the Tigers lead by five points.
The scramble was on to find the winning the winning goal, The Crocs were more energised in the dying stages and appeared certain to retake the lead before the full time siren ended their comeback.
Crocs player-coach Leigh Marriott believed his side would have won the match if the fame lasted five minutes longer.
“I think we had the run going, but unfortunately the game finished a bit quick for us,” he said.
Last Modified on 06/03/2011 13:11