2002 1st XV111 Premiership Team
Coach: Trevor Laffy
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Backs
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Darren Scott
18
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Mick Henderson
20
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Jason Bell
16
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Half Backs
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Nathan Wiggins
33
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Greg Hixon
23
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Bevan Cleeland
11
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Centres
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Damien Atkins
7
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Paul Trimby
10
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Sam Richardson
35
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Half Forwards
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David Daniel (Co- Captain)
24
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Trevor Laffy (Coach)
22
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Matt Daniel
48
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Forwards
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Greg Meyland
40
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David Gilmour
3
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Tom McMillan
44
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Rucks
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Tony Onley
4
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Scott Chandler
13
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Rover
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Adam Waasdorp
15
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Interchange
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Denis Brooks
21
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Peter Henderson
17
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Mark Bryant
1
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Waaia: 3.2, 5.2, 11.4, 13.7 (85)
Strathmerton: 0.1, 2.5, 3.5, 5.7 (37)
Waaia Goals: David Gilmour 3, Tony Onley 2, Nathan Wiggins 2,
Paul Trimby 1, Bevan Cleeland 1, Adam Waasdorp 1,
Michael Henderson 1, Greg Meyland 1, Tom McMillan 1.
Strathmerton: Darren Henderson 2, Daniel Henderson 1, Julian Pinnuck 1,
Marcus McMillian 1.
Waaia Best Players: Sam Richardson, David Gilmour, Paul Trimby,
Tom McMillan, Nathan Wiggins, Greg Hixon.
Strathmerton Best Players: John Brunskill, Marcus McMillian, Julian Pinnuck
Bryan Schreenan, Andrew Powles, Steven Gundrill.
Best Player in the Grand Final: David Gilmour
*Shepparton News, Monday, September 16, 2002 ~ by Phillip Guthrie*
Bomber barrage too strong for Bulldogs
Waaia made an overdue return to Picola District Football League’s premiership stage with an emphatic 58 point triumph over an out of sorts Strathmerton at Katunga on Saturday.
After six flags in seven years between 1989 and 1995, the Bombers had endured something of a premiership drought leading into Saturday`s runaway victory, 13.7 (85) to 5.7 (37).
While Strathmerton had comfortably won all three previous meetings between the teams this season, the Bombers never looked like losing when it mattered most.
Coming on the back of the Bombers reserves premiership earlier in the day, Trevor Laffy said he could not have hoped for a better senior coaching debut.
`Who dreams of stuff like that?,` an emotional Laffy said.
`You might dream about it, but as for it becoming a reality, that`s another thing altogether.`
While they had the better of the first half, the Bombers needed a long Tony Onley goal after the half time siren to give them a 15 point break.
The Bulldogs were as close as they came to controlling the match early in the third term, and a Julian Pinnuck mark and goal brought them within nine points.
But that signalled the start of a six~goal Waaia onslaught which all but secured the flag by the final change.
`Every time we`d played them, they`d had that one quarter they dominated, and today we just didn`t allow this to happen,` Laffy said.
`The hardness at the footy all day was just incredible.`
Michael Henderson started the Bombers` third ~quarter ball rolling when he goaled from a Dave Gilmour pass.
Pearce medallist Adam Waasdorp then put his stamp on the game, first by making the most of another Gilmour assist to goal and then by slamming the ball onto Henderson`s chest for that player`s second.
Bevan Cleeland kept things moving with a long bomb from the boundary, Nathan Wiggins bounced one through from outside the 50m arc, Onley goaled from a free kick and Paul Trimby supplied the icing with a brilliant long goal after a patient build~up.
Already nursing a thumping headache after being knocked out in the first quarter, and facing a 47 point deficit at the last change, Bulldogs coach Jeff Reed could do nothing to turn things around.
As it was, the teams went through the motions with Darren Henderson bagging two gaols for the Bulldogs and Gilmour and Wiggins returning the compliment for Waaia.
While Gilmour took out the VCFL medal for best~on~ground, he was one of heaps of Waaia stars.
Paul Trimby in his 150th game was outstanding in the midfield along with youngster Sam Richardson, who was particularly dynamic early.
Tom McMillan was a great contributor up forward, particularly in the air, while Greg Hixon was tower of strength across half~back.
Strathmerton`s dominant player was Marcus McMillan but a shoulder injury in the third quarter virtually put him and the Bulldogs out of business.
ACTION APLENTY
Grand dream
All Denis Brooks` football dreams came true on Saturday.
The Bombers` legend capped his grand career with the club by playing in his seventh premiership in his 300th game.
Brooks, 35, said after speaking to the players prior to the match, he could not hope for a better day.
`I was a bit worried it (the 300th game) might be a bit of a distraction`, he said.
`I just said we`re 21 individuals who`ve come together as a team, and as a team we can achieve great things.`
Brooks and his team~mates Greg Hixon and Darren Scott have now played in all seven of the Bombers` grand final victories since 1989.
He said there was no doubt he had been lucky.
`But if you dare to dream it can happen.`
Reed`em and weep
Jeff Reed has gad better days at the football office than Saturday.
Nothing went right for the Strathmerton coach in Saturday`s grand final.
The headache he already from his team`s poor became that much worse when he was knocked out in the first quarter.
While he returned after half~time, the 31 year was restricted to a roving role in a forward line starved of opportunities.
Reed said it was hard to explain why the team saved one of its worst of the year for grand final day.
`We probably missed (defender) Paul Henderson a bit, but they had a couple out as well. There are no excuses.
One proud preso
There was no prouder man at Katunga on Saturday than Waaia president Doug Larkin.
After watching the reserves and seniors take the flag on the same day, Larkin said success on the football field meant the world to Waaia.
`After last year when we missed the finals, everyone was quoting me as being the most unsuccessful president in 20 years,` he said.
`I just took it with a grain of salt, and today`s just fantastic.`
Larkin said the loyalty of players such as Greg Hixon, Denis Brooks and Darren Scott was the cornerstone of the club`s recent success.
`I think the loyalty of those guys has really shone through,` he said.
Adam`s apple
Adam Waasdorp won`t forget 2002 in a hurry.
Waasdorp put the seal on his amazing season with a senior flag on Saturday when he also coached Waaia`s reserves to their grand final victory.
Waasdorp had his life saved by an umpire following a collision late in the season. He recovered for the premiership victory and also took out the league`s best and fairest medal along the way.
