Football Finals: Royals rule Great Southern roost

Royals have continued their stranglehold on the Great Southern Football League competition, winning their 11th league premiership in 19 years after an exciting 24-point win over Railways in the grand final on Sunday.

Picture by Laurie Benson: Royals: Premiers of the GSFL for 2011

The Lions were clearly tested in the first half and went into the main break 12 points down but a stunning seven-goal third term blew the game apart, as the Lions ran out winners 10.5 (65) to 6.5 (41).

Senior players Cleve Humphries, Ryan Patterson, Ryan Kinnear and Leith Edwards were brilliant for the Lions as a ten8acious 10-minute period in the third term was enough to kill off a gallant Tigers charge.

Humphries gathered 22 kicks, most more than 50m long, nine handballs and seven marks to be the game’s most influential player.

Premiership coach Darrell Panizza praised his side for their ability to come from behind in the second half for what he said he would remember as a special group.

“It’s just fantastic, we were challenged in the second quarter and went into half time behind,” he said.

“We knew it would take something special and we had the ability to break the game open. We have been the best side in the competition and we went about it as good as we possibly could.”

The Lions got off to a brilliant start, with Craig Bolton junior and Wayne Bolton helping them out to an early lead but a stirring goal from Tigers skipper Michael Cramer gave the team some hope.

Kicking with the aid of a stiff breeze, the Tigers got a real roll-on in the second term, with Zane Marwick, Scott Hillman and Jarrod Whittle all heavy involved as they took a two-goal advantage into the long break.

Despite holding the Lions at bay for the early part of the third term, four unanswered goals to the home side broke the Tigers back.

Leading by 23 points at the final break, the final stanza began as heavy hail hammered Centennial Oval, hampering the Tigers chances.

They could only manage two points in the last quarter as the Lions won their first flag since 2009.

Panizza applauded the Tigers after they came from fourth to reach the grand final but said his senior players were the difference.

“Well done to Railways, coming from fourth is a great achievement and now that they have lost one they will have that appetite,” Panizza said.

“Our senior players really stood up, that week off did the world of good … Railways had a lot of heart but we had that little bit more.”

Panizza made special mention to fitness and conditioning coach Tim Mier who he believed gave the Lions players a significant fitness edge.

Tigers co-coach Kim Mayfield said his side gave their all and praised their strong finish to the season.

“We gave 100 per cent, from where we have come from I am% really proud and rapt of what we have been able to achieve,” Mayfield said.

“Royals played that 10 minutes footy where we couldn’t match them, they didn’t finish on top for no reason.

“Until you become a coach you don’t understand the feeling you get when you see a team develop and grow, this year has been a real pleasure.”

Bolton junior finished with four goals from just six disposals while Dave Parker had 23 possessions for the Lions.

Tigers duo Marwick and Matt Van Schayk both gathered 22 touches while veteran wingman Hillman had 19 disposals.

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