Tigers’ shot at history
EDGE Hill United will be the first club to ever win both Premier Men’s and Women’s trebles should the Tigers’ complete fairytale 2021 campaigns at the Crad Evans Shield.
The Tigers will host the annual contest between the best clubs in Cairns and Townsville this Saturday, and the club is chasing a historic record which would cement Edge Hill Utd as North Queensland’s best performing club.
Among the records:
the men’s team could be the first to win three consecutive trebles since the Crad Evans began in 1963;
the women’s team could win their first treble, and would do so by being undefeated in the Premier League;
become the only club to win both Crad Evans titles in two consecutive years.
They could also finish the season with an astonishing 11 trophies (from a possible 12) across four age groups, with the U12 JPL, Youth Men’s and Women’s teams all in action at the Crad Evans.
President Michael Falchetti said the whole club effort was a credit to everyone involved at the Manunda organisation over the past decade.
“It would be amazing to achieve something like it,” he said. “There has been a lot of hard work over the years, and it would be confirmation that we are doing things well.
“We have tried to align the men’s and women’s sides of the
club in every aspect. To claim both trebles would be amazing.
“It was a great feeling having the coaches there on grand final day (last week).”
Seven teams represented Edge Hill Utd on grand final day, winning four trophies and narrowly missing a fifth when the women’s reserves side conceded late then fell to Leichhardt in penalties.
For Premier Men’s coach Crios O’Hare, the chance to make history was one of the reasons to return to the club for 2021, but it has not been his or the team’s sole focus.
The squad is filled with players who want to win, while a winning mentality developed over years of dominance has helped along the way.
“These records and historymaking things, I don’t think about it too much,” he said.
“It’s something that we will be able to look back on in 10 to 15 years as something to be really proud of being part of.
“I don’t want to get carried away with it.”
The Cairns Post will show four Crad Evans games live on Saturday, including the two Premier games.