The rebuild of the Wyndham All Abilities Football Club is complete with the side playing off for the Football Integration Development Association C-grade competition.
It was the Tigers first grand final appearance in eight years and they were going for their first premiership in 12 years.
President Paul Barrett said before the match that the group was so excited by the opportunity to play in a grand final.
“They have the excitement of playing in a grand final,” he said. “In mainstream sport they’re not given a go.
“We dropped a division at the end of last year after losing seven players. The kids are getting more touches now which is great.”
Barrett said they had basically rebuilt the side after Covid-19 with several experienced players stepping away in recent years.
“We’ve virtually turned over our list from just before Covid,” he said.
“We have a young kid who is 13 and a lot that are under 20 now.
“It’s been a really good rebuild.”
The Tigers faced the Saints in the grand final.
Barrett said they won the first game against them easily before they were made to work for it the second time.
This time the Saints, who ran hard all day, got some revenge.
While the Tigers finished on top of the ladder it was the Saints that came out on top, 7.12 (54)-3.3 (21).
Barrett said their best players were Eric Pelen, koupah Irving Vincent Villegas and Jacob Taylor.
He made special mention of Matt Cunningham, who was retiring after 20 years.,
Barrett said after round two he thought they had a good side and would be one of the teams to beat this year.
Chevy Hingley-Faccin has been one of the stars for the Tigers, winning the league goalkicking with 33 goals.
Barrett said Hingley-Faccin also had a massive impact in bringing others into the game.
The season hasn’t been without its challenges.
Last year’s captain Jamie Smith died in July, hitting some of the team members for six.
Barrett said there was a feeling that they wanted to do it for him in his honour.
The longevity of the club is something that Barrett is really proud of.
“We are the only foundation club left,” he said. “We are a total standalone club and we pride ourselves on it.
“We’re so proud of the kids and what they have been able to do.
“We have players on the committee and it’s about what they want to do. It’s a family club, which we weren’t years ago.
“It’s a very inclusive club.”
