THAT feels much better.
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For the last two years Hastings Valley had fallen one game short of premiership glory, but it wasn't going to happen again in 2019.
The Vikings were rarely challenged on the way to an emphatic 41-10 victory over Coffs Harbour in the Upper Mid North Coast Rugby Union grand final on Saturday.
The 31-point win went a long way to exorcising the demons of the last two years when they were on the other side of the ledger.
It also capped off an undefeated season where they led 19-0 at the break.
Captain Hamish McCormack admitted he pretended he didn't think about previous grand final heartaches, but it was satisfying to stop a run of successive defeats.
"It always burns losing a grand final so the opportunity to turn that around today is the best ever," he said.
"I've been involved with this club for a long time.
"I've been thinking since I was eight, nine or 10 years old that captaining a first grade side of a club you love is pretty special."
McCormack was one of eight survivors from last year's 21-14 defeat at the hands of the Snappers.
"For those of us that played last year, we were ready to turn it around on the team that beat us," he said.
When brother Adam finished off a 60-metre move which started with his chip over the top for winger Rohan Toft before he passed back inside to McCormack, the match was as good as over.
It put the Vikings up 29-0 and put them in a position where they could enjoy the final 20 minutes of the match.
Coach Andrew Kable admitted there was nothing flashy about their performance.
"Our plan paid off in that we ground them down and got the result," he said.
"That was totally our intent (not to be too flashy); when you've got wind like that you don't want to turn football over.
"We just wanted to keep grinding away."
Once the Vikings got a sniff they took full toll and as hard as the Snappers tried, they had no answers.
"There were plenty of holes out there and rather than going wide we stayed nice and tight and grinded the Coffs side down," Kable said.
"I haven't tasted defeat in this side for a couple of seasons as a coach, but I'm really impressed the guys were called upon to do some different things this year.
"We changed a few things up and it paid off."
Kable was most impressed with Adam McCormack, while Tom Woods, Peter Segol and Rohan Toft were also strong.
"Adam was outstanding; he was totally off his head," he said.
"He had a fantastic game and Tommy Woods of course always goes forward for us.
"You could name a heap of players ... Rohan Toft out on the left wing, everything he does seems to turn to silk."