You beauty, Bombers!

By Ken Moore
NILMA-Darnum won its first premiership in 50 years and denied Cora Lynn back-to-back flags after a 35-point victory over the Cobras on Saturday.
In front of a record crowd at Cora Lynn, the flag was up for grabs until the Bombers rammed on four unanswered goals with the wind in the opening 10 minutes of the last quarter to extend a five-point three-quarter time lead into a match-winning 30-point buffer.
The Cobras tried valiantly over the final quarter of an hour, but could not peg back the deficit.
Cora Lynn kicked with the aid of fluky three to four-goal wind blowing towards the southern end of the ‘Cobra dome’ and did not take to long before cagey Cobra goalsneak Anthony Giuliano steered through the opening major of the game with a clever snap from an acute angle.
Nilma-Darnum responded with two quick goals, the first by David Ivey after he hauled in a strong mark and the second after Nathan Hughes capitalised on a defensive error.
Mid term Cora Lynn lifted and hard-working Jack Allen notched two successive goals, one from a stoppage and the next when he was allowed to stream unattended through the midfield.
Shortly afterwards Cobra centre half-forward Shane Dwyer marked and goaled from 50 metres on the boundary line to set up a 12-point lead.
Late in the quarter Bomber whiz kid Kael Bergles conjured a six-pointer with a ‘boomerang’ from an impossible angle to reduce the margin to eight points at quarter time.
Both teams hit the contests hard and laid a number of telling tackles and, taking into account the swirly breeze the opening term, was of a very high standard.
Cora Lynn’s advantage at the first change was due to strong midfield running by Jack Allen, some handy marks a kick behind play by ruckman Brad Horaczko and accountable defence by Jason Hall, Tim Payne and Tim Crespin.
Nilma midfielders Rhett O’Hara, Allan Chandler, Jamie Cann and Shane Youngman all played a pivotal role during the first term and Michael Mooney mopped up well in defence.
Both teams struggled to come to terms with the unpredictable wind in the opening minutes of the second quarter.
At the seven-minute mark, former AFL star Mal Michael intercepted a defensive clearance, took a strong mark and coolly went back to trim the difference back to two points.
However, for the next 15 minutes the Cobras showed plenty of resistance against the breeze and had plenty of good players led by Horaczko, Craig Taylor, Jack Allen and Michael Duiker, who were able to repel the best the Bombers could throw at them.
All the hard work pushing into the wind appeared to take its toll in the latter stages of the term and Nilma, with two well judged goals by Jamie Cann and another to the ever dangerous Bergles, opened up a handy 14-point lead at half-time.
Both teams seemed more intent to man up rather than run forward of the ball and take risks in the first half.
The Bombers lead at the main break was largely underpinned by strong defence from full-back Chris Aurisch, who kept a tight rein on Darren Sheen and half-backs Michael Mooney and Phil Harris, while Chandler was in the thick of the action every few minutes.
Cora Lynn needed a good start to the third quarter, but it did not happen.
At the three-minute mark, key Cobra central defender Dan O’Hara, who was playing yet another fine game on Mal Michael, was penalised harshly for an indiscriminate slap on Nilma tall James Quanchi.
The tall Bomber utility then hand-balled his free kick to the lively Chandler who drilled the ball through the big sticks.
Less than three minutes later Bergles conjured another miraculous snap to give the Bombers a 26-point break and at this point of the game the flag looked to be heading east.
Not to be denied Cora Lynn dug deep and mounted a spirited revival and with good drive by Brendan Kimber, David Collins, Ryan Davey and goals by Horazcko and Darren Sheen, both from free kicks.
The Cobras took it up to the favourites and the Bombers showed signs that they were a little rattled.
After Jack Allen kicked a long, inspirational goal and Chase Saunders won a free and a 50-metre penalty and kicked truly, Cora Lynn fans found voice when they captured the lead in time on.
Nilma ball magnet Jamie Cann took an uncanny one-handed mark in the goal square and converted to give the Bombers a five-point buffer at three-quarter time.
For Nilma, classy left-footer Kane Martin was superb in the third term and Mooney and Aurisch continued to make their presence felt in the last line of defence.
It did not take Nilma long to silence Cobra supporters in the last quarter.
Courtesy of a clean centre takeaway from the opening bounce, good team work led to a David Ivey goal and less than sixty seconds later Mal Michael reeled in a mark low down and converted to give the Bombers a 17-point break.
The Bombers were now in full flight and kept pressing and with further majors by Hughes and Ivey. They skipped to a 30-point lead.
At the ten-minute mark Cobra forward Michael Duiker slotted through his first goal to give its fans hope, but mid term the Bombers replied with goals by Hughes and Cann to defang the Cobras.
In the latter stages both teams traded goals and Cora Lynn could not make any inroads and the Bombers went on to a 35-point victory.
With so many new arrivals at the start of the season Nilma had its detractors who thought it may not jell.
However, it played with a fixed goal and unity all season, lost only the one game and its fine season culminated with Saturday’s historic victory.
Nilma performed when it mattered and its midfield kicking skills were more polished.
Glenorchy recruit Allan Chandler was awarded the best-on-ground medal, showed good ability to escape from his opponents all game and set up many forward thrusts.
Fellow midfielder Kane Martin displayed his silky skills, tireless runner Jamie Cann found his usual appetite for the ball and doubled as a key forward slotting home five goals.
Chris Aurisch was the mainstay of the Bomber defence and had good company around him led by Michael Mooney and Shane Morgan and ruckman Matt Olney gave a good account of himself.
Nilma coach Brad Sinclair was both an ecstatic and relieved man after the game,
“Really happy with today. One of the more pleasing things was that despite all the focus on our recruitment we also fielded seven kids that that came through our junior ranks,” he said.
“We took our goal scoring chances today and that made the difference. All the boys had roles to play and they stuck to their job and did them well. Many of our players showed courage and when it was their turn to go for the ball they did.”
Cora Lynn got its hands on the ball enough and won more 50-50 contests, but its efforts were sullied by poor decision making and some ordinary disposal.
Centreman Brendan Kimber was by far the best Cobra contributor. He was seldom pushed off the ball and offered tremendous drive all game.
Jack Allen played four good quarters and Craig Taylor provided good rebound off his half-back flank.
Ruckman Brad Horaczko played a tidy game and interestingly when he left the field at the closing stages of the second quarter the Bombers piled on four goals on the trot.
Jason Hall, Dan O’Hara and Tim Crespin were consistent in defence over all four quarters.
A disconsolate Cora Lynn 2008 premiership coach Chris Toner said he was disappointed.
“They used the ball better and we kicked ourselves out of the game,” he said. “I thought we ran the ball out of defence well, but didn’t carry the ball the extra 20 metres and find a target when we entered our forward line.
“Our poor disposal going forward proved costly.”