GNFL grand final: Chapman Valley crowned champions over Brigades to end heart break

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GNFL grand final: Chapman Valley crowned champions over Brigades to end heart break

Chapman Valley are back on top of the Great Northern Football League throne after they won the flag to end 32 years of heartbreak.

It was a tight battle against Brigades and despite the Valley being the favourites, the match could have gone either way.

The Royals claimed the crown after a fourth quarter blitz in their 9.11 (65) to 8.6 (54) triumph over the Hawks on Saturday.

It was a mix of the new recruits and Valley faithfuls standing up in the win with brothers Jayden and Kim Schofield providing a spark when the side needed.

While Lee Hutchins was prolific around the ground and a valuable target up forward, his efforts earnt him the Geraldton Guardian best on ground award.

Camera IconBest on ground Lee Hutchins. Credit: Snapaction Photography/Snapaction Photography

The match was fast paced right from bouncedown, with both sides getting into each other early.

It was a post party early, with the opening four shots on goal of the game all hitting the sticks. The first major didn’t come up 17 minutes into the game, with Hutchins jailing it from the top of the 50 for the Valley.

James Mavrick brought much needed intensity for the Royals up forward while Brigades’ Jesse Casselton saved face by plucking intercept marks.

Despite priding themselves on fitness, Valley wasn’t using their run and carry early and elected to hit up targets through the middle of the ground.

It paid off late in the first with captain Ringo McKenna hitting ruckman Daniel Borgogno lace out inside 50 and the big man was able to send it home for the Royals second goal, putting them up 2.6 (16) to 0.1 (1) at the quarter time break.

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Camera IconRingo McKenna with the ball. Credit: Snapaction Photography/Snapaction Photography

After being on the back foot early the Hawks swooped in the second quarter, JJ Clune medallist Hayden Johnson won the opening tap and got the centre clearance down in their forward line. Setting up Hassan Ahmat-Watkins to kick their first goal.

The Royals half backs got plenty of touch in the half, with Oakley Criddle helping keep the ball out of danger.

Jayden Schofield pulls off a bit of magic on the wing, as he soccered the ball high and following up to mark his own kick. Brigades get the turnover not long after and Fletcher Klasztorny hit up Ahmat-Watkins for another Hawks score.

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Camera IconFletcher Klasztorny with the don’t argue. Credit: Snapaction Photography/Snapaction Photography

The midfield battle was heating up, with Kim Schofield getting early looks on goal but couldn’t complete the job – but Jay O’Brien was there with the crumbs to finish the job.

Brigades young stars started to get going, and Reid Foot showed off his impressive speed – turning on the burners to beat his man on the outside wing and hitting up a target inside 50.

The Hawks brought it back to a five-point game at half time with the scores sitting at 4.8 (32) to 4.3 (27) – with Ahmat-Watkins accounting for Brigades entire score line.

A hot day out at Wonthella Oval was given some respite when the breeze came in at the start of the second half.

Hawks defender Joel Pattrick was over Hutchins early and provided the spoil.

The Royals continued to work the ball through the middle of the ground, with a chain of McKenna to Jayden Schofield to Hutchins working for the score.

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Camera IconKim Schofield getting the ball to boot. Credit: Snapaction Photography/Snapaction Photography

The Hawks backs were under siege early, but they managed to get it out of danger and Kristerfer Ryder rewards their effort with a Brigades goal.

Brigades start to have success with the outside run they had been desperately looking for, and Casselton gets the turnover and works the ball end-to-end, with Ahmat-Watkins booting his fifth goal for the game.

Late in the third the ball lived inside the Hawks 50, but they couldn’t capitalise until Jamie Ryder finally broke the deadlock with a goal – closing the margin to nine-points heading into the final term.

The Brigades fans erupted watching Foot take the ball for a run and letting it go from top of the arc, and no one was there to stop it going in for a goal as just three points separate the teams.

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Camera IconEwan Whitley and Reid Foot. Credit: Snapaction Photography/Snapaction Photography

Lucas Ronan and Klay Sipila had plenty of the ball late, injecting speed and coming up with turnovers in the fourth as the Hawks looked to come back.

The high intensity game and heat started to peek its head with the skills getting sloppy late, with the ball going from end-to-end with turnovers on both sides.

Brett Robinson provides the all-important winning goal for Valley late and as the time worked down, Brigades couldn’t get the ball back forward as the Royals half backs worked it between each other until the final siren blew.

The Royals fans rushed the field after they claimed the fifth league flag in club history and their first since 1992 – a 32-year gap.

Valley shared the love in the win with players getting their share of the ball, Hutchins and Jay O’Brien each booted two goals for the Royals.

While they had singles come from Borgogno, Kane Simpson, Robinson and Tyrone Papertalk Jr. James Mavrick almost had a big day – kicking 0.3.

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Camera IconValley’s Kane Simpson booted a major in the win. Credit: Snapaction Photography/Snapaction Photography

Ball winner Ahmat-Watkins put Brigades on his back in the first half of the game and finished kicking 5.3 – accounting for more than half of the Hawks score for the day.

Ryder brothers Kristerfer and Jamie each scored a goal along with Foot in the defeat.

Following the win, player-coach Jayden Schofield was emotional after bringing the flag back for the Royals.

“So many emotions, it’s not for the 22 that played, it’s for the Valley community,” he said.

“32-years starved on success, and we brought it home today, unbelievable.”

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Camera IconPaul Sorensen getting off the hands. Credit: Snapaction Photography/Snapaction Photography

The coach called out the players one by one following the win to receive their medals, leaving Paul Sorenson for last – a stalwart of the Chapman Valley football club who has played more then 200 games and is the heart and soul of the team.

“(Sorensen)’s the reason we played, he’s half the reason we came over,” Jayden Schofield said.

“Played 20 years, played finals three or four times, and to give it to him it means so much for me to him.

“It means f… all for me, just it’s all for him.”

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