Suns rise with first football premierships

FOR the first time in its short history, the Surf Coast Suns are football premiers, with two sides raising silverware on a memorable Saturday in Geelong.

Surf Coast Suns Red and Surf Coast Suns Gold of the Under 14 Division 6 and Division 7 competitions emerged from Queens Park Reserve as winners of their respective Grand Finals, an emotional day for both the club and club president Mike Thomas.

“It was a massive day; emotions were high,” Thomas said.

“The first game, our Gold team, was the first final of the day, and no one gave us a chance except us.

“The coaches did an amazing job in recognising what our strengths were and the players we had and came away with a five-point win.

“It was a big moment in the club’s history, there’s a lot of work that has been put into this club, and these two premierships are evidence of this.”

Surf Coast Suns Gold begun the day with a nailbiting five-point victory over Bell Post Hill, 3.4.22 to 4.3.27, snaring the win in the fourth term being down two points at the final break. Jai Wilson earned man of the match honours.

Gold team head coach Chris Rashleigh said he and the club were extremely proud of his team’s achievement.

“This group has come together as a mix of boys who have been shunned by other clubs as they didn’t fit the mould of a particular footballer,” Rashleigh said.

“It once again proves that heart, hard work, belief and having fun is more important.”

The subsequent contest with Surf Coast Suns Red, coached by Russ Wood, was a more one-sided affair, as the Torquay-based club defeated Grovedale Whyte 9.6.60 to 2.5.17. Ben Sneddon was named man of the match.

“While the premiership is amazing, the boys have enjoyed their year because we have helped build their skills and confidence to express themselves on the field, that’s the most rewarding thing,” Wood said.

As the Suns don’t have a club pavilion or social space, a project the club is working on with the Surf Coast Shire, Torquay Hotel kindly offered the two teams space to celebrate winning their premierships.

Surf Coast Suns has grown its player numbers to more than 500 in both football and netball since the club’s inception in 2016.