Great Northern Football League: Demons dominate as back-to-back league premiers

Rovers took out the premiership flag on Sunday in a Great Northern Football League season that’s been memorable for lots of different reasons — not least the fact that it nearly didn’t happen at all. Announcements throughout the day to stay COVID-safe on a strange grand final weekend were a reminder of that — but for Rovers, the most memorable part of the season will surely be the fact they are back-to-back premiers, and undefeated. Coach Ian Comben said after the game he was hoping the club would be back for more next year. “That depends on how many of them decide they want to come back,” he said. “I’m hopeful that, if not all of them, most of them will decide to have another crack.” There was only a goal in it at the end, Rovers winning 7.12 (54) to 7.6 (48). But that did not tell the full story, either of the Demons’ first-half dominance, or the Blues’ second-half fight back. It was a final scoreline that was flattering to neither side but still did not tell the full story — Railways could and maybe should have been dead and buried by half time, but they pulled out a convincing rally close to the siren and might even have won it late as Rovers’ energy fell flat. The Demons had gone into the half-time break with a four-goal lead and were obviously still playing for each other when they came out, but did not have a lot left to go on after their rampant first half. Railways had their chances to close the gap and, but for some wayward goal kicking, could have got in front late as they kicked four unanswered goals — three more shots on goal went agonisingly wide. With a stiff breeze, Rovers could claim the same — they added only two points in the second half but that was enough for the win. Comben praised the rally by the Blues. “I never thought it would be easy today, and it wasn’t,” he said. Ultimately, Rovers were never behind in the game from bouncedown to the final siren, and seemed to have an extra player on the ball every time it was there to be contested. In an indication of the depth at the club, the colts side lost a grand final earlier in the day against an undefeated Brigades. “We’ve got some good young kids coming through,” Comben said.