2002 Grand Final Report
Cougars Back to Back Premier’s
Awesome, simply awesome. Those were the words a visibly choked up Stu Grills used to describe the Cougars magnificent Grand Final performance against Seattle…in Seattle on Saturday.
After a crushing 57-point thrashing handed out by Seattle at the Cougars last home game at Thunderbird Stadium, it was going to take an amazing turnaround by the Cougars to ensure the Grand Final didn’t go the same way.
In the weeks leading up to the Grand Final, Super Coach Grills had put the Cougars through some higher intensity training sessions with the goal of peaking for the Grand Final, and peak the Cougars did.
Pre-Game
The road trip started as always outside the Avis on Broadway at a sprightly 7.30 a.m. Coach Grills and Prez “Chops” McGrath were heard to say on more than one occasion – “I’m excited”. If it weren’t so bloody early, maybe some of the other players would have been as well. “Chops” McGrath provided some earlier amusement as people were waking up with his newly grown siddies, which were rather excessive, quoting them as “a good luck charm”.
As predicted, the Three Stooges – Adam Dooley, Mark George and Greggy Bell were the last to arrive (a good 30 minutes late). There arrival did however signal the beginning of the Cougars biggest ever Car Convoy down to Seattle. So at around 8.15 am they were off - 2 big buses, a minivan and 2 cars hit the road for the long drive south.
After the obligatory rest stops, the Cougars arrived to the familiar Seattle cow paddock that passes itself off as a football field. The Ground was in tremendous knick, with the large dust patches integrating nicely with the potholes…oh and odd bit of green grass. The sidelines did however look a treat, with both teams bringing large supporter bases who has set up marques, tents, chairs and flags in anticipation of a thrilling game.
With its biggest road team ever (28 players) the Cougars were pumped. Super Coach Grills looked like he was about to jump out of his pants as the game approached start time, and he was licking his lips when he saw the size of the bench that he would have for this game. As Skip Vargo headed out for the toss, Cougars Veteran Col Hilton reminded him that no Cougars Captain had ever lost a Grand Final. Stirring words considering this was only the 2nd GF ever.
…and so at 1.15 pm the 2nd ever North West Pacific AFL Grand Final began.
The Game
Right from the start, Super Coach Grills had Seattle guessing. In a shock move, Grills settled the much anticipated Full Forward debate by throwing Canadian Todd Little into the FF position and sticking Sratford in the Pocket and Vargo at CHF. The decision paid off early as within minutes Ruckman Greggy Bell bombed one long and Vargo took a superb “middle of the pack” mark and goaled to the give the Cougars the early lead. They were never behind for the entire game.
From the start to the finish, quality Cougars players who were sub-par at the Thunderdome lifted that extra notch which is what Grand Final football is all about. The backline, lead as always by Vice Captain Tony Cooper was unflappable, and would not let the Seattle forwards even get a sniff at the goals. The Centreline lifted enormously and McGrath/Taylor/Hilton and Edgar played out Super Coach Stu’s instructions to a tee by nullifying the effects of the dangerous Chevlin and other Cats centerline players from start to finish. The forward line converted after the rest of the team had done the hard yards in getting the ball long. Vargo’s kicking was as always erratic, but he still managed to snags a few majors and Stratford lifted for the GF and was rewarded with a magnificent roving goal.
However it’s not individuals who win a GF, it’s a team effort. Coops was inspiration as always across the back flank. If he wasn’t pinning his opponent or diving into packs, then he was repelling the ball forward time and time again. Shine Edgar proved as always that’s he’s a quality player and hard at the ball whether he’s scouting the centre or the forward line. Longy showed a heap of dash and a lot of class off the wing and sent many balls long into the forward line. Blocky was his namesake – a block down in the backline and played magnificently coming on and off the bench with Edmonds who played amazing football considering the guy had his fractured wrist in a cast only a few days before but was determined not to miss the GF.
Prez “Chops” McGrath played some of the hardest football you would ever want to see. Maybe his beloved Tigers should take a page out of Chop’s book if they want to be a genuine finals team themselves. Strats tirelessly scouted the packs all day and had a few snags at goal including a magnificent snap goal in the 2nd quarter. Pete Taylor played his usual solid game across the CHB line and gave little chances away to Cats man mountain Andrew Donlen. Dave Taylor lifted again in the centre and tackled hard all day to keep the Cats centeline purring quietly. Tony Joyce proved dangerous in the Cougars forwardline and added some much needed mongrel in there. Brad Gill and Evan Ozirny proved that they have come along in leaps and bounds since playing Aussie Rules for the first time only a few weeks ago. Canadians like them are the future of the Cougars in Vancouver and the way these two have picked up the game in such a short time is a fine example of where the club will go in the next few years.
Brendan and Morgs, two Canadians who have played since the start of the season were as always phenomenal in the backline. Both might have as well been wearing the same footy jumper as their Seattle opponents because they were always right on them when the ball dared stray in their direction.
Stooge 1 – big Greggy Bell made a much welcome return to the Cougars fold and played a telling factor in the outcome of the game with his constant domination of the ruck duels. Numerous of his tap-outs headed in the direction of Stooge 2 – Adam Dooley and Stooge 3 – Mark George who as always provided some class and finesse on their Wing and FF respectively.
Rhys and Chris Freeman put in very solid games and worked well around the forward flanks when it was needed most including combining for a great goal in the vital 3rd quarter. Big Tom O’Sullivan was as always a superb relief ruckman and backman when called into the fray by Super Coach Grills. Despite still nursing some minor effects of his mid season swollen knee, there was no way big Tommy would not step up to perform for the GF.
First gamer Deano quickly proved his freakish skills on the training track would be transferred into a game situation, and provided much zip and courage that was need in the Cougars mid field. Canadian Todd Little proved as well that despite being new to the game, he knows how to give it his all and that his skills are improving exponential with every game.
Skip Vargo led from the front all day. His amazing grabs in the packs or on the lead proved more than a handful for the Cats backline and lead to many Cougars goals including three for himself. Paul Jennings proved that age is no barrier, it’s heart that counts, and he proved he has a big one. For the second game in a row he was a standout at the last line of defense and was not going to let the Cats get their paws on the trophy. Iain Adams, yet another young Canadian gave it his all and reveled in the chance to play in a GF. Col Hilton was inspirational. He spent more time at the bottom of the packs than any other Cougar and was the epitome of a player who was determined to give 110% to win the match. Campo was as always a solid a player as he is solid around the midriff. Throughout the match he constantly bustled his way through packs and set up drives forward.
Last but not least was Super Coach Stu Grills. Whether it was his fire up attitude before the game, his inspirational words during the breaks in the game, his attacking play in the forward line when he came on, or his excitement after the game was won, he was the man on this Great Day in the Cougars short history.
Back to Back victories for the Cougars !!!
Game Summary
Q1 Cougars 2.4.16 to Seattle 1.1.7
Q2 Cougars 3.7.25 to Seattle 2.3.15
Q1 Cougars 6.8.44 to Seattle 2.5.17
Q1 Cougars 7.10.52 to Seattle 4.8.32
Vancouver Best
Tony Cooper (3), Paul Jennings (2), Greg Bell (1), Colin Hilton, Doug Vargo, Shine Edgar, Tim McGrath, Peter Taylor, Brendan Bannen (Best Non-Australian), Justin Long, Morgan DeChalain.
Thank You’s
Appropriately for the GF, it’s a big but deserving list.
Col and Kim for their “huge” banner the boys charged through before the game.
“Chops” McGrath for driving all the logistics of organising the buses and hotel rooms for the trip to Seattle.
Super Coach Stu for all the usual organisation and associated stuff he does week in week out to get the Cougars team on the field. Simply awesome Stu.
Jill Coops and Fiona Mitchell for their action photos.
Web Guru Edmonds and regular contributor Vargo for all their website work.
To the Seattle Players for giving us some great contests, not just in the GF but also throughout the year.
...and to all the wives/girlfriends and supporters who made the long trip down to see a sensational Cougars victory.
The After Match Report
A massive Grand Final victory is always going to lead to one thing…yep, just an absolute truckload of beer being drunk by the victorious team. So it wasn’t long after the Cougars walked off the pitch that they were headed to the Cats pub – The Irish Immigrant. On a magnificent Seattle Day, the Cougars joined in unison with their Seattle opponents on the pub’s sun drenched beer garden to polish off numerous pitchers of beer/wine and spirits.
As always between these two teams the commradery was a great sight to be hold, and much banter flowed too and fro between the two teams. Highlights include just about everyone being absolutely sloshed, including VC and BOG Tony Cooper who rarely drinks. “Chops” McGrath who was repeatedly asked if he could throw his big siddies on the Barbie. Rob Edmunds scrounging a lift home so he could avoid the early bus back to Vancouver and drink for another hour or so.
Then it was time for more after pub activities. The boys headed of to “The Red Elvis” bar in downtown Seattle. Surprising it wasn’t filled with Red Elvis’s, but was however very quickly filled with Cougars. The bar staff quickly spied the Trophy and were good enough to constantly keep the trophy full of free beer. Who knows if they would have been so keen to keep filling it up had they have known that one Cougar who reported as “being with the band” got his hand on a couple of free meals.
The boys were entertained by the band (including the surprising addition of 10 belly dancers into their act); Tom O’Sullivan’s dance floor antics that included sticking his tongue down the throat of one of the locals; and Campo and Vargo’s sideshow when they got themselves into a broom closet and proceeded to dress themselves in clothes, hats, metal clips and even a large rolled up power cord that they stumbled on. Thankfully the local security were equally amused with these antics and let the boys go.
There may have been an incident involving two high profile Cougars players that led to the hotel hallways being covered in Fire Extinguisher powder. However this is being denied by Cougars management (especially if anyone from the Seattle Travelodge is reading this article).
Awesome, simply awesome. Those were the words a visibly choked up Stu Grills used to describe the Cougars magnificent Grand Final performance against Seattle…in Seattle on Saturday.
After a crushing 57-point thrashing handed out by Seattle at the Cougars last home game at Thunderbird Stadium, it was going to take an amazing turnaround by the Cougars to ensure the Grand Final didn’t go the same way.
In the weeks leading up to the Grand Final, Super Coach Grills had put the Cougars through some higher intensity training sessions with the goal of peaking for the Grand Final, and peak the Cougars did.
Pre-Game
The road trip started as always outside the Avis on Broadway at a sprightly 7.30 a.m. Coach Grills and Prez “Chops” McGrath were heard to say on more than one occasion – “I’m excited”. If it weren’t so bloody early, maybe some of the other players would have been as well. “Chops” McGrath provided some earlier amusement as people were waking up with his newly grown siddies, which were rather excessive, quoting them as “a good luck charm”.
As predicted, the Three Stooges – Adam Dooley, Mark George and Greggy Bell were the last to arrive (a good 30 minutes late). There arrival did however signal the beginning of the Cougars biggest ever Car Convoy down to Seattle. So at around 8.15 am they were off - 2 big buses, a minivan and 2 cars hit the road for the long drive south.
After the obligatory rest stops, the Cougars arrived to the familiar Seattle cow paddock that passes itself off as a football field. The Ground was in tremendous knick, with the large dust patches integrating nicely with the potholes…oh and odd bit of green grass. The sidelines did however look a treat, with both teams bringing large supporter bases who has set up marques, tents, chairs and flags in anticipation of a thrilling game.
With its biggest road team ever (28 players) the Cougars were pumped. Super Coach Grills looked like he was about to jump out of his pants as the game approached start time, and he was licking his lips when he saw the size of the bench that he would have for this game. As Skip Vargo headed out for the toss, Cougars Veteran Col Hilton reminded him that no Cougars Captain had ever lost a Grand Final. Stirring words considering this was only the 2nd GF ever.
…and so at 1.15 pm the 2nd ever North West Pacific AFL Grand Final began.
The Game
Right from the start, Super Coach Grills had Seattle guessing. In a shock move, Grills settled the much anticipated Full Forward debate by throwing Canadian Todd Little into the FF position and sticking Sratford in the Pocket and Vargo at CHF. The decision paid off early as within minutes Ruckman Greggy Bell bombed one long and Vargo took a superb “middle of the pack” mark and goaled to the give the Cougars the early lead. They were never behind for the entire game.
From the start to the finish, quality Cougars players who were sub-par at the Thunderdome lifted that extra notch which is what Grand Final football is all about. The backline, lead as always by Vice Captain Tony Cooper was unflappable, and would not let the Seattle forwards even get a sniff at the goals. The Centreline lifted enormously and McGrath/Taylor/Hilton and Edgar played out Super Coach Stu’s instructions to a tee by nullifying the effects of the dangerous Chevlin and other Cats centerline players from start to finish. The forward line converted after the rest of the team had done the hard yards in getting the ball long. Vargo’s kicking was as always erratic, but he still managed to snags a few majors and Stratford lifted for the GF and was rewarded with a magnificent roving goal.
However it’s not individuals who win a GF, it’s a team effort. Coops was inspiration as always across the back flank. If he wasn’t pinning his opponent or diving into packs, then he was repelling the ball forward time and time again. Shine Edgar proved as always that’s he’s a quality player and hard at the ball whether he’s scouting the centre or the forward line. Longy showed a heap of dash and a lot of class off the wing and sent many balls long into the forward line. Blocky was his namesake – a block down in the backline and played magnificently coming on and off the bench with Edmonds who played amazing football considering the guy had his fractured wrist in a cast only a few days before but was determined not to miss the GF.
Prez “Chops” McGrath played some of the hardest football you would ever want to see. Maybe his beloved Tigers should take a page out of Chop’s book if they want to be a genuine finals team themselves. Strats tirelessly scouted the packs all day and had a few snags at goal including a magnificent snap goal in the 2nd quarter. Pete Taylor played his usual solid game across the CHB line and gave little chances away to Cats man mountain Andrew Donlen. Dave Taylor lifted again in the centre and tackled hard all day to keep the Cats centeline purring quietly. Tony Joyce proved dangerous in the Cougars forwardline and added some much needed mongrel in there. Brad Gill and Evan Ozirny proved that they have come along in leaps and bounds since playing Aussie Rules for the first time only a few weeks ago. Canadians like them are the future of the Cougars in Vancouver and the way these two have picked up the game in such a short time is a fine example of where the club will go in the next few years.
Brendan and Morgs, two Canadians who have played since the start of the season were as always phenomenal in the backline. Both might have as well been wearing the same footy jumper as their Seattle opponents because they were always right on them when the ball dared stray in their direction.
Stooge 1 – big Greggy Bell made a much welcome return to the Cougars fold and played a telling factor in the outcome of the game with his constant domination of the ruck duels. Numerous of his tap-outs headed in the direction of Stooge 2 – Adam Dooley and Stooge 3 – Mark George who as always provided some class and finesse on their Wing and FF respectively.
Rhys and Chris Freeman put in very solid games and worked well around the forward flanks when it was needed most including combining for a great goal in the vital 3rd quarter. Big Tom O’Sullivan was as always a superb relief ruckman and backman when called into the fray by Super Coach Grills. Despite still nursing some minor effects of his mid season swollen knee, there was no way big Tommy would not step up to perform for the GF.
First gamer Deano quickly proved his freakish skills on the training track would be transferred into a game situation, and provided much zip and courage that was need in the Cougars mid field. Canadian Todd Little proved as well that despite being new to the game, he knows how to give it his all and that his skills are improving exponential with every game.
Skip Vargo led from the front all day. His amazing grabs in the packs or on the lead proved more than a handful for the Cats backline and lead to many Cougars goals including three for himself. Paul Jennings proved that age is no barrier, it’s heart that counts, and he proved he has a big one. For the second game in a row he was a standout at the last line of defense and was not going to let the Cats get their paws on the trophy. Iain Adams, yet another young Canadian gave it his all and reveled in the chance to play in a GF. Col Hilton was inspirational. He spent more time at the bottom of the packs than any other Cougar and was the epitome of a player who was determined to give 110% to win the match. Campo was as always a solid a player as he is solid around the midriff. Throughout the match he constantly bustled his way through packs and set up drives forward.
Last but not least was Super Coach Stu Grills. Whether it was his fire up attitude before the game, his inspirational words during the breaks in the game, his attacking play in the forward line when he came on, or his excitement after the game was won, he was the man on this Great Day in the Cougars short history.
Back to Back victories for the Cougars !!!
Game Summary
Q1 Cougars 2.4.16 to Seattle 1.1.7
Q2 Cougars 3.7.25 to Seattle 2.3.15
Q1 Cougars 6.8.44 to Seattle 2.5.17
Q1 Cougars 7.10.52 to Seattle 4.8.32
Vancouver Best
Tony Cooper (3), Paul Jennings (2), Greg Bell (1), Colin Hilton, Doug Vargo, Shine Edgar, Tim McGrath, Peter Taylor, Brendan Bannen (Best Non-Australian), Justin Long, Morgan DeChalain.
Thank You’s
Appropriately for the GF, it’s a big but deserving list.
Col and Kim for their “huge” banner the boys charged through before the game.
“Chops” McGrath for driving all the logistics of organising the buses and hotel rooms for the trip to Seattle.
Super Coach Stu for all the usual organisation and associated stuff he does week in week out to get the Cougars team on the field. Simply awesome Stu.
Jill Coops and Fiona Mitchell for their action photos.
Web Guru Edmonds and regular contributor Vargo for all their website work.
To the Seattle Players for giving us some great contests, not just in the GF but also throughout the year.
...and to all the wives/girlfriends and supporters who made the long trip down to see a sensational Cougars victory.
The After Match Report
A massive Grand Final victory is always going to lead to one thing…yep, just an absolute truckload of beer being drunk by the victorious team. So it wasn’t long after the Cougars walked off the pitch that they were headed to the Cats pub – The Irish Immigrant. On a magnificent Seattle Day, the Cougars joined in unison with their Seattle opponents on the pub’s sun drenched beer garden to polish off numerous pitchers of beer/wine and spirits.
As always between these two teams the commradery was a great sight to be hold, and much banter flowed too and fro between the two teams. Highlights include just about everyone being absolutely sloshed, including VC and BOG Tony Cooper who rarely drinks. “Chops” McGrath who was repeatedly asked if he could throw his big siddies on the Barbie. Rob Edmunds scrounging a lift home so he could avoid the early bus back to Vancouver and drink for another hour or so.
Then it was time for more after pub activities. The boys headed of to “The Red Elvis” bar in downtown Seattle. Surprising it wasn’t filled with Red Elvis’s, but was however very quickly filled with Cougars. The bar staff quickly spied the Trophy and were good enough to constantly keep the trophy full of free beer. Who knows if they would have been so keen to keep filling it up had they have known that one Cougar who reported as “being with the band” got his hand on a couple of free meals.
The boys were entertained by the band (including the surprising addition of 10 belly dancers into their act); Tom O’Sullivan’s dance floor antics that included sticking his tongue down the throat of one of the locals; and Campo and Vargo’s sideshow when they got themselves into a broom closet and proceeded to dress themselves in clothes, hats, metal clips and even a large rolled up power cord that they stumbled on. Thankfully the local security were equally amused with these antics and let the boys go.
There may have been an incident involving two high profile Cougars players that led to the hotel hallways being covered in Fire Extinguisher powder. However this is being denied by Cougars management (especially if anyone from the Seattle Travelodge is reading this article).
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home