Corio Colts primed to end drought against Joeys

15 GAMES, 8 GOALS CORIO under-19 captain Mitchell Grace hopes it will be a case of third time lucky as the club attempts to end a premiership drought.

The last time the Colts held the premiership cup aloft was in 1995.

“Personally, I’m over the moon about this weekend because it’s been a long two years for this group,” Grace said.

“It’s been 20-odd years for the club but for our playing group we’ve come so close, so we really want to get this one for our boys.”

Tomorrow morning’s grand final against St Joseph’s 2 at St Albans Reserve will mark the Devils’ third grand final appearance in recent years.

The Devils were unable to match North Geelong in a close 2014 season decider and last year’s thrilling finale saw them fall to Inverleigh.

“A lot of our boys in the under-14 side stepped up in 20 GAMES, 1 GOAL that 2014 season to fill in for a game or two, so to see the under-18 side go down that season as well as last year was devastating,” he said.

“But these recent grand final losses will also drive us on the weekend.

“If we can finally get this one, then hopefully it will help the club going forward into the future years.”

Corio has only won five of its past 79 senior games — and only one since the start of 2017.

But Grace, who is one of five in tomorrow’s line-up who have played senior football under coach Andrew Challis, believes a potential under-19 flag could help change the senior side’s fortunes.

“It would be absolutely unbelievable to get a medal for both our coach Josh (Cowton) and even our club president Kylie (Fisher),” he said.

“We’ve played some senior footy, but she has done so much to keep us together as a playing group and she’s really kept the club going.”

Corio’s last junior 8 GAMES, 0 GOALS premiership side featured GDFL legend Barry O’Toole, who kicked a century of goals in the 1995 under-18 side.

Fast forward 23 years later and another O’Toole has been tipped to collect the game’s best-on-ground medal.

“Kaine O’Toole will be one of the standouts this weekend,” Grace said.

“All you have to do is watch his pace out on the wing and you’ll see why he’s my tip.”

For St Joseph’s, tomorrow’s grand final berth is reward for a strong season, team manager Jackie Richards said.

“We have two young coaches in James Dillion and William Devine, who have done a fantastic job in coaching their peers because it can be a daunting task,” she said.

“We think it’s a really great effort for these two 19-yearolds because they’ve never coached before but the boys listen to them.”

Devine has been tipped to start forward, alongside leading goalkicker and captain Jackson Bye.