Mundulla won the 2024 Kowree Naracoorte-Tatiara premiership on Saturday when they overcame Kybybolite at Bordertown by 12 points.
Mundulla did it the hard way after losing the qualifying final but bounced back in the following three games to record a famous premiership victory.
Coming into the game both teams were at near full strength as Mundulla’s captain Nick Mosey made his return from injury to lead the Moots into battle.
The two clubs had met twice during the season already and both games were close hard fought clashes – and this contest was no different.
Mundulla had the aid of a strong breeze in the first quarter and both teams went in hard right from the start.
The first 10 minutes of the game was full of tackles and tight defence from both teams. It was hard for either team to set up any decent scoring chances.
It took until 16 minutes of the quarter before the first goal of the game was kicked through Mundulla’s Nathan Studham.
Mundulla’s Tom Gaden won the ball off half back and drove the ball long down the field where Studham roved the ball out the back of a pack and snapped a bouncing goal through from 40 metres out, giving Mundulla a 10 point lead.
Kybybolite were struggling to respond and get the ball past the half back line of Mundulla where Reagan Tink and Tom Gaden were standing up strong defensively.
Mundulla scored again after Jacob Grosser hit a great tap off a boundary throw in straight to Studham who burst away and sent the ball forward where James Hinge took a one-handed mark on the lead.
Hinge went back and kicked the goal to push Mundulla’s margin out to 16 points.
Kybybolite worked hard into the breeze and finally got a score through Brad Castine, but he could only manage to kick a behind, while Andrew Bradley was lifting for Kyby in general play.
Mundulla had another chance to kick a goal late in the quarter but Darcy King missed a running snap shot after Kybybolite’s Tom Curnow was able to put enough pressure on him to force a miss.
Mundulla went into quarter time 16 points ahead, however Kyby did a good job defensively to hold them to just two goals with the breeze.
Mundulla’s better players during the first quarter were Studham, Gaden, Tink, Daniel Noll and Grosser.
Kybybolite’s backline held up as Tom Woodard, Curnow and Dylan Brodie displayed some good defensive work during the first quarter.
Kybybolite had the wind in the second quarter and they had most of the play in their half of the ground.
Mundulla’s defence held up strong as they laid a lot of tackles and tried to waste the time Kybybolite had with the breeze.
Kyby found it hard to set up a good look at goal, with a misguided kick out of defence giving Bill Munn a chance to score their first goal but he missed the shot.
The game was a tackle-fest at this point as neither team could get any clear play going.
Kybybolite finally broke through for their first goal after Oscar Clark won the ball from a contest outside the forward 50 and kicked it long where Charlie Hiller took a great contested mark and went back and scored the goal from a straight in front.
Mundulla hit back straight away after Devon Ridgway won a free kick in front of the goal and kicked straight, pushing Mundulla out to a 14 point lead.
Kyby kept on fighting and won a free kick on the wing where Bradley handpassed to Jared Deep who sent the ball forward to the 50m line where Brad Castine roved and bounced through a much-needed goal.
Kybybolite were working hard and had the margin back to eight points, with Bradley starting to get some important touches and Clark and William Russell also lifting.
Kyby struck again when Deep laid a tackle inside the forward 50 and was awarded a free kick, going back to kick the goal and cutting the deficit to two points.
Kybybolite continued to press and tried to score late in the quarter but Mundulla’s defence stood firm until the half time siren sounded.
Mundulla were very good defensively during the second quarter to hold Kybybolite from scoring for most of the term, with Tink having a great quarter for Mundulla, while Tim Ballinger also was good defensively and Hinge worked his way up the ground to take a couple of strong marks.
Kybybolite’s William Shepherd, Deep and Castine helped in getting their side back into the game.
After a quiet first half by his standards, Jake McGrice started to lift his output early in the third quarter.
Mundulla had the aid of the breeze and McGrice took advantage as he kicked a 52m goal from right half forward.
He struck again when he roved the ball off a ruck contest and while running towards the boundary was able to swing the ball back and through the goal as Mundulla opened up a gap of 16 points.
Mundulla pushed hard at every chance and ruckman Grosser’s influence was starting to show in the ruck contest.
Kybybolite needed to stand up defensively to not let the game slip away, with Remi Brown lifting as he went in hard around the contest.
Kyby were looking for more defensive help as they sent Billy Laurie in to help out.
Mundulla broke through to score another goal after Grosser won a tap to McGrice who kicked the ball forward where Hinge marked and kicked the goal.
Mundulla had the momentum back and now were 22 points clear.
Kybybolite lifted defensively in the latter stages of the quarter to hold Mundulla’s scoring down, with the Moots holding a 23 point lead heading in to the fourth quarter.
McGrice played one of the great grand final third quarters for Mundulla, kicking two outstanding goals and having a hand in setting up another.
Grosser was also influential for Mundulla during the third quarter, while Kybybolite got some great work out of Brown, Clark and Russell, while Tom Woodard was also having a great battle with Mundulla’s Hinge.
Kyby needed a strong start in the fourth quarter if they were to have any chance of victory.
They worked the ball forward a couple of minutes into the term and Laurie was awarded a free kick, going back to score the goal and cut the Mundulla lead back to 15 points.
Mundulla kept working the ball forward but Kybybolite’s defence led by Dylan Brodie was strong in rebounding.
Both teams worked hard at defending the ground as neither could get the ball free often and the tackle numbers continued to climb.
The ball got stuck on the wing at the repeat ball ups for five minutes, however Mundulla was determined to not let Kybybolite get out and use the wind to their advantage, with their defence standing firm.
McGrice worked back hard to help out the likes of Gaden and Tink in the defensive 50, with Mundulla’s defensive work eating the time away as Kybybolite tried to open the game up.
Kyby eventually were able to get a mark inside the forward 50 at the 25 minute mark after Jack Trengove took a free kick and sent the ball forward where William Shepherd took a strong pack mark.
Shepherd kicked the goal to bring the margin back to 12 points, but any chance Kybybolite had of a late rush was dashed at the centre bounce reset as Mundulla ruckman Grosser took the ball out of the ruck and belted it forward.
Mundulla had done enough to win the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara premiership for 2024, with their ruckman Jacob Grosser named best on ground award in a dominant performance.