The Newcastle City Blues celebrated their 140th anniversary in style at the weekend, winning three AFL Hunter Central Coast (AFLHCC) flags.
On the eve of the grand finals, co-president Courtney Knights said the club’s success was built on many years of hard work by a united group.
And, it appeared that effort paid off in spades at No 1 Sportsground on Saturday 16 September, with Newcastle City securing the Black Diamond Men’s Cup, Black Diamond Women’s Cup and Black Diamond Men’s Plate.
The Blues’ Black Diamond Shield side fought gamely but just missed making it a clean sweep for the organisation.
In the feature clash, Newcastle City and Terrigal Avoca Panthers produced an entertaining first half, with the hosts enjoying a slight 7.3.45 to 4.4.28 lead at the long break.
The Blues then surged ahead in the third quarter to push onward 11.8.74 to 6.7.43.
Even though Terrigal Avoca came home with a wet sail, Newcastle City hung on 12.10.81 to 10.13.73 to win its first major title since 2018.
The victorious Blues outfit consisted of Joshua Taylor, Macaulay O’Malley, Mitchell Crawford, Harrison Selkirk, Jacob Findlay, Joseph O’Donoghue, Liam Tutty, Harrison Keast, Anthony Baker, Isaac King, Kaya Bremner, Hamish Thomson, Jackson Crawford, Damian Magin, Daniel Steele, Noah MacDonald, Mathew Bailey, Max Quinlan, Michael Hendry, Connor Murray, Nick Anderson, Myles Viney, Louis Selkirk and Lachlan Falley.
Newcastle City defended its crown in the Women’s Cup, accounting for the Killarney Vale Bombers 7.6.48 to 2.5.17.
The visitors began strongly and led 2.1.13 to 1.0.6 at the end of the first term.
But, the combatants went into the interval locked at 2.2.14-all.
The Blues hit the front 5.5.35 to 2.2.14 and went on with the job with another two goals.
Newcastle City’s triumphant squad included Claudia Gray, Taylor Joyce, Brooklyn Perry, Ayla Flynn, Raegan Dunn, Cassandra Nichols, Meaghan MacDonald, Emily Crouch, Taylah Wiggins, Samantha Thompson, Isabella Sullivan, Rosie Ronan-Yates, Caitlin Holcombe, Abby Cain, Amy Pittman, Phoebe Blakey, Casey Eacott, Madeline Norton, Sarah Halvorsen, Anna Ralston, Danielle Bishop and Willow Smith.
Earlier in proceedings, the Blues put the Panthers to the sword in the Men’s Plate 9.13.67 to 4.8.32.
Representing Newcastle City were Ben Cant, Luke Rawnsley, Joseph Miller, Cody Easton, Mark Morrow, Aaron Basham, Mason Pippen, Thomas Hanley, Mitchell Thomson, Cameron Keast, Connor Bavage, Alexander Moncrieff, Aaron Shields, Louis Selkirk, Carter Lovell, Reuben Miller, Louis Burr, Aaron Townsend, Bailey Davico, Jarred Matson and Liam Carroll.
Unfortunately, the Blues suffered a 10.11.71 to 7.9.51 loss to The Entrance Bateau Bay in the Black Diamond Shield.
In the remaining fixture, the Women’s Plate, the Cardiff Hawks upstaged the Maitland Saints 3.8.26 to 3.0.18 in an absorbing battle.
- FOOTNOTE: Those behind the AFLHCC deserve a brickbat for the poor exposure from the weekend’s grand finals. Neither the organisation’s website nor Facebook page provided up-to-date coverage of the code’s biggest day of the season. The local clubs deserve better.
For more sports stories:
- Knights’ brave finals charge ends in New Zealand
- A GOOD SPORT: Is President’s Cup still salvageable?
- A-LEAGUE: Spring in Jets vet Hoffman’s step
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