An imperious performance from arguably one of the best football teams in the history of AFL Cairns juniors has capped off the perfect season and marked the end of an era.
Cape York Eagles took care of business against a spirited South Cairns Cutters winning 16.15 (111) to 3.3 (21) in the Colts grand final at Cazalys Stadium on Sunday night.
It marked their twentieth victory in a season that yielded no losses and captured their second consecutive premiership.
The win is the final chapter for about a dozen current Eagles who will be too old to play in the junior competition next year.
Among those departing are Timakoi Bowie and Damien Burke who will join the Gold Coast Suns Academy next year while studying at Bond University.
Eagles utility Tui Lowah (pictured) was named best afield on the night, denying Cutters’ midfielder Lachie Smith possession while winning his own ball throughout the match.
“Tui had to sacrifice his game and do a little job for us,” Eagles coach Rick Hanlon says.
“We sat him on Lachie Smith for a little while.
“Joey Kura was terrific and so was Laurie Nona so it could have gone to anyone but I think it was fitting.”
South Cairns started strongly before the Eagles midfield, led by Fitzroy Greenwool, Lewis Fauid and Laken Pearson, overpowered the Cutters with skill, speed and numbers at the contest.
“The result says how good they were,” Hanlon says of the Eagles.
“Souths started well but once the boys got their rhythm and we made a couple of changes … away they went.
“We should’ve kicked a few more goals maybe but both teams played really well.
“We seem to play our best footy in the third and fourth quarters. That’s a credit to the boys’ fitness and athleticism.”
Midfielder Laken Pearson kicks the Eagles into attack. (Sam Davis)
Hanlon expects the Eagles to start again next season with a fresh group.
“Things will be different,” he says.
“We won’t have the same depth coming into this age group so we’ll have to find other kids from around the community.
“We want to be a multicultural club where people from all walks of life come to play, not just Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
“It’s hard for us in some ways because we don’t have juniors coming all the way through from under eights onward.”
Article courtesy of Sam Davis Northern Beaches News https://northernbeachesnews.net/2016/08/29/eagles-achieve-perfection/
