They banged in 33 goals and conceded just 12 on the way to winning four-straight matches.

But it was what happened after the full-time siren where the best memories were created for the team, coordinator Chris Whitfield and the support crew.

At the presentation following the final, the Eagles walked in to a standing ovation that brought most to tears.

“For me, the real killer part was when we walked out on the stage,” Whitfield said.

“It’s the first time ever in national championship history that a team has ever gotten a standing ovation; it was absolutely unbelievable and I still get a bit choked up thinking about it.”

There was good reason for it too, after the Eagles sailed through the competition with 8-6, 4-1 and 9-2 victories to book their place in the final.

They then swept aside an Australian Futsal Select side 12-3 to claim the title.

While they were out making a statement on the court, word was going around in the stands where something special was brewing.

As a result, crowd numbers soared. Everyone wanted a piece of this little-known team from the Mid North Coast.

“The more games we played, they just took it to a level that no one realistically thought we could go to,” Whitfield said.

“I think that’s why we got the huge groundswell of support while we were down there.

“Each day we played at a different stadium and one of the days we got put onto one of the far courts, without a grandstand or anything.

“I told them that we’d have to find our internal reserves to get up and going, but five minutes before the game they started pouring in from nowhere.

“By the time we got to the presentation night, everyone knew who we were.”

Whether it was the performance of Aiden Roughley in goals or Brayden Stevens who was voted best on court in the final, the groundswell of support was there for all to see.

“Aiden is a kid that has both of his ankles fused and uses crutches to get around, but he was diving around all over the place and stopping these balls,” Whitfield said.

David Toms and Tyson Cook battled it out for the golden boot with Toms claiming the award by the barest of margins.

He found the back of the net 11 times, while Cook banged in 10 goals.

“It got to the stage where there was a spot kick and Tyson grabbed the ball and pushed David away and said “nah I’m taking this one”,” Whitfield said.

“It was something really special and something I feel privileged to be a part of, but I’m just one cog in the wheel of all of this.

“There are so many other people as well – we had our MAGs – the mum's and girlfriends.”

Whitfield said the support they had received from a variety of others had helped to make what they did possible.

“The East Coast Eagles family – Mick Day and all of his team,” he said.

“We were getting these amazing messages of support from the open women’s team that I read to the players before the game because they were moving people to tears.

“It was unbelievable the support we got, but the way they have included us into that family has been unreal.

“It paid dividends and that sense of community is what allowed these guys to shine.”

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