Match Reports
1982
Grand Final Match - 1sts vs Brighton
From the Tregenza Times, September 18, 1982
First Grade - Old Collegians v Brighton
Both teams took a while to settle down, in this the best GRAND FINAL for 10 years.
Brighton had a territorial advantage f or the first 15 minutes and during this period of
play were awarded two penalties, neither being successful. Old Collegians then came back,
a Fogarty penalty attempt "dropped short'', a knock on and from the scrum Bob Inskip
at no. 8 picked up the ball, drove hard for the line linking up with Ross de la Motte.
This move nearly resulted in a try to O.C. but a handling error in the backline let
Brighton off the hook. Thirty minutes into the 1st half with O.C. hot on attack, came our
first points. Brighton won a ruck 10 yards from their line close to the touchline, bad
handling and indecision on whether to pass or kick allowed our backline to crowd them on
the goal-line. Ross de la Motte forced their centre to run back. into the forwards where
he was quickly wrapped up by Norman and Compton. Inskip drivng in took the ball and over
for a try. Perkins converted 6-0 to O.C.
Just before half time, midway between the 22 and halfway, Fogarty received the ball
from a ruck, ran the blind side and kicked ahead. He was deliberately fouled by a Brighton
player and from the resulting penalty which Perkins slotted - O.C. 9-0.
Brighton started the second half well with good pressure from both baks and
forwards. A scrum infringement within our 22 gave Brighton a simple kick at goal - O.C. 9
Brighton 3. The rest of the game was a mixture of attack and counter attack. One
particular forward rush from O.C. had Inskip, Hayden and Wasea handling and driving with
great fire and determination. The ball was fed to Richard Waddicor who was brought down
inches from the line. Brighton too, had their moments but desperate defence kept them out.
Final score O.C. 9 Brighton 3. Good work boys, a great team effort. Nice to know that
the Bellringer won't be celebrating 18 consecutive grand finals.
"JEANNINE"
One last word from the Selector
Without doubt the best quality grand final for a decade - excellent refereeing and a
clean game.
The team was as follows: Waddicor, Secker, M. Campion, Hayden, Raikiwasa,
Norman (Capt), Compton, Inskip, Andrews, Fogarty, Beaton, (Vice Captain) de
la Motte, Tokarski, Vrodos , Perkins. Those names underlined played in last years first
finals so that you can see the changes for this year. Reserves were T. Campion, Clark,
Corkery, Cowan, Douglas P, Farrah T, Glanville, Hay, Nugent and Toye Their support
was essential to our success and involved them all in a heavy training programme.
Our last premiership was 11 years ago when we beat Brighton (then Glenelg) by 6 to 3
(two penalties to one). This year's was a similar tough game in which we also held them to
only one penalty.
This year saw the Club decimated by injuries, retirements and migrations and supporters
may not have realized how many of the boys were carrying very painful injuries through the
last few hard weeks:
hamstrings for Perkins and Secker, knees for Tokarski, Glanville and Toye and de la
Motte; shoulders for Beaton and Vrodos; Tim Campion's and Hayden's ribs and Compton's
back, knee and shoulder to name but
a few. No doubt there were many others which I did not know about (they don’t tell
selectors). Vrodos, Corkery and Nugent just made it back at the end of the season but
Kevin Jones and Henry Rymill didn't.
Guy Lithgow was unfortunately absent after helping us reach the finals.
However, we, were tremendously lucky to find three new brilliant players during the
season in Gerry Fogarty, Chas Norman and Ben Perkins - and the firsts received great
support from players such as Denis Hayden and Peter Tokarski who came up from the thirds
when needed.
In pointing out deficiencies which needed improvement I have said some harsh things in
my write-ups for this newsletter but the boys
made me eat my words with a resultant high bar bill last Saturday night. It was a great
team effort and I should not single out individuals but how could I not congratulate Sean
on receiving the thoroughly deserved Don Smith Memorial trophy as the best player in the
State, or the trio of Was, Bob and Denis with their cool controlled strength or Bob on his
try, or Ben on his brilliant defence and attack, or all the backs for their match-winning
defence in the last terrifying but courageous ten minutes when Brighton threw all they had
at us.
The end of this season was different from those of past years but particularly in the
attitude of the players. It is a long time since I saw such concentration at training - we
trained four times in the last week and the final session on Thursday looked so good that
even I knew that we were in with our best chance for years.
I have never seen such nervousness among the supporters ('the barman McCarten's hand
was shaking as he poured a drink at mid-day) and the tension was so great in the
changeroom that you could have cut it with a knife.
This was reflected by the surprisingly restrained behaviour in the clubhouse after the
game as the tight nerves relaxed.
A great end to a great season and my personal thanks to our beautiful cheer squad, to
Harry Clark for our historic new strip, to Tony Spawton for the dozen champagne for the
players after the game, to Caroline (for the whole year) and Mr Magic Pirotti (for the
finals) and last but not least to John Davies for his most successful coaching season with
the club.
ALAN SPRY
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