East Coast wins third flag
East Coast Eagles have become the first club in 22 years to win three consecutive AFL Sydney premierships following their 43-point victory over Balmain on Saturday.
It is the first time a club has achieved the feat since Campbelltown won four flags in a row from 1986 to 1989.
In front of a crowd of 2246 at Blacktown International Sportspark, the Eagles produced a near flawless four-quarter performance where they kicked 14 goals in the first half including the first eight of the match.
Jack Dimery was the star for the winners taking home the Rod Podbury Medal for best on ground which was presented to him by the AFL Sydney legend the medal is named after.
Stephen Doyle and Daniel Spiteri were also influential for the Eagles while Jamie Vlatko was a shining light up forward kicking four goals.
Despite a third quarter fight back by Balmain, where they kicked four goals and kept their opponents goalless, they left their run too late.
Even though the Dockers didn’t get the result they were seeking it was a significant achievement to make the grand final after heading into the season having won only 15 games from the last five years.
Travis Stevens, Jason Coulloupas, Matt Edwards and Rowan Lilly gave their all during the match but couldn’t lift the club to their first flag since 1998.
It was a fitting end to the season for East Coast who has been elevated to the North East Australian Football League (NEAFL) next year along with Sydney University.
The two teams join 17 other clubs from AFL Canberra and AFL Queensland including the Sydney Swans, GWS GIANTS, Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns reserve sides.
From the outset East Coast was switched on and played fluent, dominant and free-flowing football.
The Eagles kicked the first eight goals of the match before the Dockers finally got a major on the scoreboard through Jason Saddington in the 27th minute but by then the margin was out to 51 points.
East Coast continued to pile on the goals in the second quarter despite Balmain finding more of the football in the term and putting some pressure on the scoreboard, but still trailed by 70 points at the end of the term.
A resurgent Dockers emerged from the halftime break and threatened to fight their way back into the contest. Balmain kept the rampaging Eagles goalless in the term while piling on four goals themselves – including three majors from former Swan Nick Davis.
By three-quarter-time the margin was reduced to 50 points but it was too little too late for the Dockers to forge a memorable comeback.
In the end East Coast was too good winning by 43 points to bring the Bill Hart Cup back to Bruce Purser for the third time in as many years.
East Coast Eagles 17.12 (114) defeated Balmain 10.11 (71)
GOALS
East Coast Eagles: J. Vlatko 4, S. Doyle 4, S. O’Connor 3, D. Spiteri 2, R. Silvester 1, R. Bilkey 1, M. Maher 1, D. Costello 1
Balmain : M. Edwins 2, J. Saddington 2, N. Davis 2, D. Yeomans 1, T. Osland 1, J. Coulloupas 1, J. Howard 1
BEST
East Coast Eagles: J. Dimery, J. Vlatko, S. Doyle, D. Spiteri, R. Bilkey, B. Bourke
Balmain: T. Stevens, R. Bates, J. Maniscalco, J. Coulloupas, R. Lilly, J. Farrell