Big-time Bombers fire as Waaia makes it a Picola District senior three-peat

What initially emerged after the pre-match festivities was a sign that both teams felt more than a hint of nerves heading into the grand final.

The Bombers and Kats each converted one early chance but went on to take turns squandering seemingly countless others as the two outfits attempted to settle the butterflies.

Sam Trower would just barely sneak one the correct side of the post shortly before quarter time, with his kick serving as the difference.

It remained that way, frustratingly so for Waaia faithful, well into the second term before James Carpenter was well-spotted to kick truly and establish a bit of scoreboard pressure.

No breakthrough went unpunished for the time being, though, as Josh Kezerle benefitted from a holding free moments later to cancel that out.

It was at times baffling that certain opportunities became anything other than a goal; at one end, an overly unselfish handball next to the goalsquare, and at the other, a snap smothered from behind just a few metres out.

Out of all the agony came the occasional mercurial act - namely, a sharp and precise flank special out of Connor Brown.

It didn’t feel like a game with a 27-point margin at the long break to the naked eye, but such was the barrel Katandra was staring down in the sheds.

Though the third term kicked off in much a similar manner to the first and second, a dash of class was all it took to make the score look insurmountable through Harvey Walker’s excellent running goal from the pocket.

By halfway through the third, all hope of a competitive run-in appeared dashed with the margin pushing past 40.

Another for Kezerle at least stopped the rot to a point heading into three-quarter time, but the damage was more than done with Bomber blitzes either side of the main break.

To the Kats’ credit, they entered the season’s final half-hour looking the much more energetic of the two sides with a pair of quick-fire majors.

There was at least a lighter moment when play stopped for two minutes after the ball found its way onto the club room roof.

A quiet final term for Waaia was the end return but a third consecutive senior premiership was obviously more than enough consolation, the Bombers playing it out to ease home 12.9 (81) to 5.7 (37).

Not only did the win offer a measure of revenge after Katandra took the points off Waaia during the regular season, seen as a slight boilover at the time, but to coach Mitch Cleeland, it provided continued reward for continued effort.

“It’s a surreal feeling to be honest; we’ve come a long way and had set out at the start of the year to win these things, so to do it is amazing,” Cleeland said.

“The pressure went up a little bit at the break and it got a bit fumbly at the start of each quarter, but as we got through it, we got some cleaner hands, attacked with more potency and things went from there.

“We pride ourselves on having 22 even contributors and everyone doing their role well.

“(Katandra has) been a great side all year and they’ve come along in leaps and bounds, they had our number in the year and the scoreboard doesn’t reflect how well they played.

“Whoever stands up and gets the plaudits, that’s great for them but everyone is willing to do their bit for success and that’s a major catalyst for us.”

As far as individual plaudits went, none other than skipper Jesse Trower - never far from the accolades across football or cricket - received the Brian Henderson Medal as best afield.

“He’s amazing. Our captain leads from the front as the hardest trainer in both sports and he gets excellent reward for effort,” Cleeland said.

“I couldn’t be prouder of him with his reward today and I wouldn’t want to have to play against him.”

For the victorious Bombers, Connor Brown led the line with four goals with Charlie Burrows and Harvey Walker contributing a pair apiece.

Katandra struggled to find avenues beyond Kezerle, the spearhead having booted four of the Kats’ five goals on the day with Corey Hickford producing the other.