Crocs nail the perfect season
TO the great Cairns Saints sides of the past decade – today’s Port Douglas are coming for your record.
The Crocs confirmed their status as one of the great modern AFL Cairns teams on Saturday afternoon as they lifted their third premiership flag in the last four seasons, convincing winners over Manunda in the 2017 grand final.
They started red-hot favourites after not dropping a game all campaign and played like it from the opening second, 21.19 (145) – 11.4 (70) winners.
The victory completes the perfect season for the Crocs, 20 games played, 20 victories and zero losses.
AFL Cairns staff were scouring the record books over the weekend to find another undefeated premier, with no luck, as the Crocs are believed to be the first to do so since 1956.
The great Saints generation of 2007 to 2015 won an astonishing six flags, as well as three losing grand finals in that time, and the Crocs look on the verge of challenging that record.
Port Douglas have now won three flags in the last four seasons and in the year they did not win it, they claimed the minor premiership before going out in straight sets.
And, there is nothing to say their reign will stop any time soon.
They have a talented batch of youngsters, Mitch Bohm, Ethan McCullough and Jack Dickson, as well as established stars who are not going to drop off, such as skipper Kye Chapple, Lee Staple and Wes Glass.
Coach Brad Cooper is optimistic his Crocs dream run can continue into 2018 and beyond.
“There is no reason why we can’t keep going on,” Cooper said. “It is hard to keep the guys here though, it is a long way from Victoria or South Australia but it is a pretty special spot we have up in Port Douglas.
“As a club, we need to keep working on producing juniors and we have seen another today in Jack Dickson join the premiership club.” Cooper lauded the influence of the club’s volunteers and support staff who work behind the scenes.
Croc Adam Gross won the Howard Kennedy Medal for best on ground after a star four-goal performance.
The Crocs started with the wind and took full advantage, pumping out 15 scoring shots to nil in the first stanza, as they led by 55 points at the first change.
The visitors kicked two second-term goals against the breeze despite the Hawks piling on eight to keep it competitive.
Manunda threatened to cause an upset through the second and third terms but whenever the Hawks looked to edge closer, the Crocs pushed back.
Hawks coach Marc Harbrow, who has been reappointed for two more seasons, believes the 2017 season is one to build on.
“It is an outstanding year for our club,” Harbrow said.
“Not many would have bet on us to make it this far … we were hoping for the top four and maybe a prelim. (The players) had a real crack and I am happy with the effort.”