IT was a team effort that enabled the Port Macquarie Sharks to win the Group 2 premiership in Coffs Harbour on Sunday, but no-one was more satisfied than halfback Clinton Foot.
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Not many people are aware that Foot, in Sydney at the time, contacted his former under 18 mates a few years ago to join forces in the club’s first grade side.
His goal: to capture an elusive senior title with the Sharks.
So, it was fitting that Foot received the 2010 John Mackay Medal as the player of the grand final after the 41-16 drubbing at Advocate Park.
“A few of us lost a decider in the under 18s,” he recalled.
“But, to come back to the club a few seasons later and win with those guys is a great feeling.
“It was a top group performance on Sunday.
“After some hiccups through the year, especially when we had the disaster a couple of weeks ago against Coffs, the boys stuck together when it counted.
“It was an honour to play a great side like the Comets as they just keep coming and coming – and we respect them for that.
“At no stage of the game did I ever feel we should take things for granted and that we were going to win without making the effort.”
One of the ex-junior team mates Foot was referring to was lock Joel Asher.
“That result is better than two weeks ago when they didn’t let us stick to our plan,” he said.
“While the Comets worried us a bit at the beginning, we stuck to instructions and got the win.
“Also, doing what we were supposed to do against Macksville got us back on the road and had a lot more to do with Sunday’s win than it looks.”
The Sharks will wrap up their season with a presentation night at the Tacking Point Surf Life Saving Club on Friday.
Tickets are $45 per person, with the function starting from 6pm.
For bookings, contact Jayne Pepper on 0431 282 441.
In other Group 2 results, the Woolgoolga Sea Horses upstaged the Orara Valley Axemen 25-18 in reserve grade, while the Axemen accounted for the Bellingen Magpies 18-14 in under 18s.
The Port City Breakers proved dominant in Group 3 at the Regional Sports Stadium, beating Forster Tuncurry Hawks 30-6 in firsts, Wingham Tigers 34-20 in “seconds” and the Hawks 3-1 in women’s league tag.
Old Bar Beach Pirates overpowered the Tigers 22-10 in under 18s.
