The great Goodwood Saints win their 8th premiership since 2005 without suffering the pain of defeat in the decider
By Luke Hosie
Goodwood Saints v Rostrevor Old Collegians – Norwood Oval
That one day of the year, which all sides strive and play to be a part of. Finally come around on Sunday afternoon. In a year, when the season looked like it would never start, we were graced with a grand final for the ages on Sunday. For the first time since 1984, the
amateur league grand final took place at Norwood Oval. Two different combatants than the ones that took the field 36-years ago. Indeed both of those teams are no longer are in existence in their own right. Back in 1984, Riverside took on Greek, with Riverside winning a thriller. On Sunday, both sides got on the board quickly with goals to Carter for Goodwood Saints and Murphy for Rostrevor OC, inside the first 3 minutes. The game was played between both side half fowards for the rest of the quarter, before Rostrevor OC delivered goals from Reinbrecht, Luke Manuel and Paul Fantasia late in the term to be 13-points in front going into the first break. The second quarter however, was superb from Goodwood Saints, as this was the quarter where they ultimately won the premiership. The Saints peppered the goals in the opening minutes, only to kick 3 behinds. However, it was a withering blast of goals from Goodwood from third the way through the second quarter until time on, that left Rostrevor OC with no answers. The second quarter was the Frazer Goodes and Jacob Hughes show, as both men were unstoppable. Goodes booted 3 straight goals while Hughes applied enormous scoreboard pressure kicking 2.2. Rostrevor were left without any answers as Goodwood Saints kicked 6.7 to a solitary point from the old collegians in the second quarter, to take a commanding 29-point lead into half time. Whilst Goodwood were dominant during the second quarter, it was Rostrevor Old Collegians who were the dominant side in the third term, as they did all the attacking. Three early goals to Lanzoni, Dawson and Murphy had Rostrevor only trailing by 12-points at the ten minute mark of the third quarter. Rostrevor were now back in the game. Rostrevor however, will lament the lost opportunities late in the third term as they booted 4 behinds. O’Malley, Manuel, Short and Reinbrecht all kicked inaccurately. Goals here, would have put
Rostrevor in front at lemon time. Rostrevor were left ruing what might have been. Goodwood Saints led by 9-points at three quarter time and a fight to the death was inevitable. Early in the final term Reinbrecht kicked accurately and drew the lead back to 4-points and the game was most certainly heating up. Reinbrecht was proving to be a handful for the Goodwood defence with his 2 goals. Half way through the final term Benny Holzbauer goaled to have the Saints 11-points in front. James Butterworth kicked a late behind for Rostrevor, when they desperately needed goals. Only a few minutes later however Frazer Goodes, kicked one of the goals of the season from deep inside the forward pocket to put Goodwood Saints 16-points in front. This would remain the margin of the premiership win. Goodes was superb for Goodwood Saints with his 4 goals and-was best-a field. While evergreen Nick Burgess, Nicholas Favretto, Scott Blesing and Tom Gehling who celebrated his 100th game on Sunday, were all outstanding. For the vanquished in Rostrevor Old Collegians. Tom O’Malley, Anthony McCarthy, Craig Holm, Nick Murphy, Dylan Reinbrecht and Stefan Lanzoni were very good. Reinbrecht and Murphy were the only multiple goal kickers for Rostrevor with 2 goals each. For Goodwood Saints, it was their 8th premiership since 2005, whilst never having lost on grand final day since 2004. The club came into division one in 1991 and have not been out of the top flight of football. Having played for 30 consecutive years in division one. The Saints waited until 1997 to taste the sweet taste of success in division one, when they won the flag for the fist time defeating PHOS Camden by 7-points. 1998, 1999 and 2004 ended in grand final defeats for the Saints. That loss in 2004, was the last they would suffer on the ultimate day. Goodwood have not been beaten in a grand final since 2004 but have won 7 division one premierships, which is beyond phenomenal. After their loss in 2004 to Broadview, Goodwood then won the next 5 premierships in succession. One of those premierships was under Trevor Hill, but the next four under Trent Mills. The Saints won flags from 2005 until 2009. In 2008 the Saints made history to become the first club in win 4 successive division 1 premierships. From 2010 until 2013 Goodwood finished 3rd each season, before again winning the flags in 2014 and 2015. Year 2020 is yet again, the year of Goodwood Saints.
 
 To continued reading please click here to download.