KERANG claimed back to back premierships with a hard-fought win over a gallant Cohuna Kangas at Swan Hill on Saturday.
In a team that boasts all but three of its players having been schooled in the town from which it takes its name, Kerang’s experience told the difference in the end.
Playing of in their sixth consecutive grand final, the Blues recorded their fourth premiership since the formation of the Central Murray Football League in 1997.
In winning the league’s first back-to-back premiership since Nyah Nyah West United in 2001, the Blues are now one flag ahead of Tyntynder and Swan Hill.
The result wasn’t easy for Troy Coates’ side, however.
In a game that ebbed and flowed across four quarters, it was the Blues that held their nerve in a tense last term.
Staring down the barrel of a five goal three-quarter-time deficit, the Kangas threw everything they had at the Blues, reducing the margin to 15 points by halfway through the term.
Cohuna got within three points before the experienced Blues line-up steadied and added two goals to seal the result.
The game opened with traffic going mostly Kerang’s way in the first half hour, but the Kangas denied the Blues space and time inside 50 resulting in an inaccurate score tally early for the Blues.
The Blues had registered six behinds before Luke Cotchett received a free kick for a high tackle and goaled to give the premiers their first major.
At the other end scoring was also hard to come by, with the Kangas booting one goal from four attempts.
Kerang continued to absorb the Kangas’ pressure early in the second with a composed assistant coach Travis Matheson receiving the ball from Jaden McGrath and opening the Blues’ second term account from 40m.
With Luke Livingston also coming into the game and registering a major, Kerang had the game’s first early break midway through the second term.
Livingston and Luke Cotchett were the Blues’ main focal points for the first three quarters with three goals apiece.
But just as it seemed the Blues might skip away as they had in the second semi-final, the Kangas added two majors to get back in the game.
Both were goals on the run with David Grove slotting a major from a tight angle about 45m out, before Clayton Holmes gathered the ball on halfback and, bouncing three times, managed to convert an inspirational goal.
The Blues’ hard-working defence was led all day by an inspirational Josh Bray.
Bray played his customary sweeping role across halfback to perfection, earning the VCFL Medal for best on ground.
Time and again Bray put his body on the line to take defensive marks and coolly clear the Blues out of trouble.
And while the Kangas were surging entries deep inside 50m were less effective, with power forward Angus Grigg receiving most of his possession well outside 50m, allowing the Blues’ defence to settle.
Grigg eventually finished the game with three goals as did teammate Brett Collins.
Cohuna again came at Kerang in the second half of the term, with James Scambler kicking a major late for the Kangas to see them within 13 points at halftime.
The tension mounted in the third term as Grigg kicked a minor score to see an even two goal margin, before Troy Thamm marked inside 50 and converted to put the Blues further up.
A yellow card was then issued to Shannon Hammond for a heavy bump on McGrath that saw the fleet-footed Blue temporarily taken from the field of play.
A strong tackle on Kiel Robertson moments later resulted in Robertson’s head hitting the ground hard.
The game was stopped as Robertson was stretchered from the ground. The tough midfielder did not return for the day.
The Blues responded with Kobi Wilson, Andrew McDonald and Greg Dickson all booting majors to see the Blues with a commanding five-goal lead at the last change.
But the momentum again shifted Cohuna’s way with Collins registering a major to get the Kangas back on track early in the term.
But the Kerang side kept its composure as fans saw the margin slowly whittled away to a nail-biting three points.
The Blues were clearly prepared to pay the price for premiership glory, with local talent Brad Pay courageously marking in front of the much-bigger Grigg.
Bray continued to perform strongly as Livingston shifted to defence to help whether the storm for the Blues.
The experience proved invaluable, and when Luke Cotchett converted a clutch goal from a tight angle 50m out the Blues fans were breathing a little easier.
And while the Kangas, led by coach Shannon Keam, battled gallantly until the end, ultimately the Blues could not be denied.
Matheson raised his arms in triumph on centre wing in front of the grandstand as the final siren sounded. The flag was heading to Riverside Park for the second consecutive season.
