NO club in Group 10 history has won three grades in a single season but St Pat’s have given themselves an opportunity make that happen at this Sunday’s grand finals at Wade Park.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Pat’s ladies league tag, under 18s and first division teams have excelled in this year’s finals series to give the Saints the biggest representation of any club on the last day of the season.
Each of those Saints teams have crafted memorable stories on the path to their respective grand finals.
First division have came through the hard way after finishing the regular season in fifth, under 18s have rallied this year after missing the finals in 2016 and the league tag squad knocked over the previously unbeaten Orange Hawks to book their spot.
“It’s a bit surreal,” Pat’s president Dave Chapman said.
“If you told me at the start of the finals we’d get all three teams through then I would have had my doubts, but the belief was there in the club that we could do it.”
Making the grand final appearance all the sweeter for the Saints is that they beat minor premiers and cross-city rivals Bathurst Panthers 13-12 last Sunday to get there.
The table would suggest it was an upset result but Chapman wasn’t surprised to see Pat’s get home.
“I see our reserve grade team being in a similar position to Oberon’s premier league team. We’ve just got the right people back in the team at the right time of the year,” he said.
“Framey [Rhys Frame, coach] has rallied the guys around him and the belief is there that they can win it. We sensed halfway through the season, after a poor start to the year, that if we could sneak into fifth place then we’d be in with a good shot.
“There’s a couple of experienced guys there like Chris Osborne, Kurt Hancock, Chicka Booth and Rhys who have been there before and know what it takes.
“Lithgow Workies are a bit of an unknown, so it will be difficult coming up against them.”
The Saints league tag ladies have beaten Hawks once this finals series and will have to do again if they want the title.
Pat’s are aiming to become the first team to win three league tag crowns.
“There’s a lot of girls in that team who have semi-final and grand final experience, plus they have Mick Armstrong as coach and he knows what it takes to win premierships,” Chapman said.
Of the three Pat’s teams in action on Sunday the under 18s will have the biggest challenge.
They take on an Orange CYMS team who on two occasions this season have put on more than 40 points against them.
Chapman said the upside for the blue and white boys is that the pressure will be on the home team.
“We’re under no illusions that we will have to play their best football of the season to be in with a chance of coming home with a win, and with the home support they will be up against it,” he said.
“But I love an underdog and I’m sure our boys will be happy to wear that tag on Sunday.”
