Dragons Overtime Conquest in the "Thrilla in the Villa"
Grand final day had arrived and after a week of ice baths and wound licking our Prems Reserves ventured down Sydenham Road for the last day of the 2022 season. A huge contingent of supporters turned out that seemed to grow throughout the day. They couldn't have imagined what they were about to witness.
In the first quarter the teams went straight to it...with a slight breeze advantage, Uni pressed hard and looked fresher from their couple of weeks off during the finals series. Our guys knew they had to lift again from the level of the previous few weeks. Uni got the opening goal with a slick clearance, and a couple of minors that came from repeat entries into our 50. It wasn't until the last few minutes of play that the Dragons pushed into the Uni 50 and resulted one minor score. At quarter time the Students led 9-1 and we had done well to limit the damage.
Brownlow made a few adjustments at quartertime and our boys turned up the wick, storming through with goals to Scotton and a double to Uglow in quick succession. Uni knew they had a game on and responded late with 3 of their own at the carpark end. Half-time, Students up 29-21.
Quarter 3 -word was spreading...the crowd was growing..even punters in UNSW and Norths gear were turning out to witness this epic. But they were all dwarfed by the sea of red and white at the scoreboard end. They lifted the Dragons. Tracey, Johnson, Ingram, Bennie and the Skip lifted again in the midfield. Crossle and Maunder started to get square with their giant opponents in the Ruck. Fanous fell to some friendly fire, but Shaw and Hack got some free run and Bognar cut loose with three majors, with Campbell adding another...all into the carpark as the score teetered back and forth. Three-quarter time St George 46-43.
The stands emptied and each teams supporters encircled their team huddles. Brownlows voice broke like he was 10 again. What did it mean to play for this club? After 4 weeks of do or die for this team, how much petrol was left?
Scotton knew, and he drilled a set shot straight into the sea of red and white and we kicked clear of the Students.
But it wasn't done...Uni dug deep and peppered our goal line with 4 minor scores. How long timekeeper? Too long! Uni squeezed and got their final chance....kicking long and straight...
Then the siren...its 53-53, end of regulation time. Our shoulders slumped. The goal umps converged and confirmed the score. We were headed to extra-time. No coaches allowed. Skip Soffe looked them all in the eye and their heads lifted.
Two minutes in they responded. Streaming forward to a bomb over the back - Uglow, Bognar and Ritchie put the undergrads in a vice and forced the errant kick. Ritchie had it in front of him from 40 out at 45 degrees. The red and white on the hill gave him the target. Everyone pooped, but he threaded the needle...Dragons up again...the crowd were spent!
Two more very important minors saw the Dragons up by 8 at the changeover. Uni had the breeze in the 2nd, but needed to score twice.
Water bottles empty, lollies all gone,....could they hold on? Uni attacked..the back six stayed tight as they have the whole finals series. Querzoli and Widders killed everything and Macks, Hunt, Willems and Gray repelled all day.
Uni's moment game and they broke though in front, 45 out, but Brown was there ...and smothered with his face.
The students were locked out of the dorm, and it was the Dragons that ended their 25 game winning streak spanning two seasons.
Fences yielded...the red and white mob stormed the field...the players couldn't get to each other before they were surrounded. They roosted the Skip, they sang the song...it was bedlam. There was genuine disbelief in what had just happened. They were Premiers from 4th, taking the same cut throat path as the 2019 team. Macks, Gray and Fanous the only survivors from that team. Uglow and Maunder matched it with their old men in the Masters and brought home father and son flags.
They had shown what it meant to play for this famous club.
End of extra time St George Dragons 9.7.61 defeated Sydney Uni 7.11.53
Goals: L Bognar 3, B. Uglow 2, T. Scotton 2, K.Campbell, F. Ritchie
Grand Final Best on Ground Medal: F.Ritchie
