Split Enz was wrong.
History does repeat – especially if you’re Paul Lynch.
Ten years after guiding Colac to the GFNL premiership from an elimination final, the master coach has achieved the same feat with Tigers of different stripes.
Thomson today (Saturday) became the first club in GDFNL history to win four finals to claim the premiership following a 54-point win over Belmont Lions at St Albans Reserve.
After getting past Bannockburn, Werribee Centrals and East Geelong, the Tigers landed a unique quaddie in beating the Lions, 14.5 (89) to 4.11 (35).
Motivated by the disappointment of last year’s loss to Inverleigh, Thomson wouldn’t let this opportunity slip.
After Lions captain Jak Evans won the toss and elected to kick with a strong southerly wind to the Geelong East Primary School end, the Tigers set about making life difficult for their opponents.
Into the breeze, Thomson kicked the contest’s first goal from a nice snap from Mitch Hodgson that he kept under the breeze.
Belmont Lions’ first goal didn’t come until the 14-minute mark when talisman Dave Allitt converted a set shot.
However, they could not add to their tally, taking a narrow four-point lead into the first change.
Thomson kicked the first goal of the second quarter through best-on-ground Darcy Troop to regain the lead before the Lions snatched it back from a set shot by Bradley Michell.
However, the Tigers regained the ascendency through Troop less than two minutes later.
Fellow forward Jacob Knight played a role in extending the margin to 15 points at half-time with consecutive classy goals.
Needing goals with the breeze in the third quarter to be any chance of claiming their second premiership, the Lions watched as Thomson pushed the margin to 20 points thanks to a second goal from Hodgson.
Lions young gun Brock Mahoney pulled the margin back to 15 points with a nice set-shot finish before Troop added his third goal of the afternoon, and big man Jordan Camm contributed his first to push the Tigers’ advantage back to 23 points.
A quality piece of roving at the front of a marking contest by Michell cut the margin back to 16 points at three-quarter time.
Thomson snuffed out any hopes of the Lions stealing victory when Billie Smedts showed his class with a snap that made the margin 22 points before Charley Donohue goaled on the run to start the celebrations.
It’s the Tigers first premiership since 2018 and their 11th as a club.
Six of those have come since the GDFNL returned to a single division in 1996.
X: @krockfootball
