Aaron Degreef

BAROSSA District, after a perfect Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association junior colts season, polished of back-to-back premierships with a 17-point triumph over Tanunda in Saturday’s grand final.
The Dogs got off to a quick start with a goal from Samuel Sibbick after he secured the ball and stabbed it between the big sticks.
The game continued to rage on for the remainder of the quarter with neither side achieving any major score. However, Tanunda held up very well and managed to keep the Dogs on a tight leash.
This trend continued throughout the second quarter with both teams remaining scoreless.
Despite this, the game was entertaining to watch as the footy zipped and zagged across the field as each side struggled to break the intense deadlock.
Barossa’s Dyson Sharp and Tanunda’s Flynn Manning were each standout players who relentlessly attacked the ball.
After the main break, Will O’Brien finally smashed through a goal to end the drought and light up the scoreboard once again.
This enabled the Dogs to lift as a team and begin to dominate the possession of the footy.
But, Tanunda was still firmly in the competition and managed to repel multiple Barossa incursions into its forward line.
This barricade was finally broken by Mitchell McDonald who closed the third quarter strong with a goal on the siren.
During the final term, the tide had finally turned in Tanunda’s favour as Jett Assender took a courageous chest mark while running back with the flight, which he went on to convert for the first goal of the game for the Pies.
This inspired Darcy Thompson to do the same, this time reading the bounce of the ball with great accuracy which allowed him to run into an open goal to put through another major score.
Similarly, Barossa’s Jayden Edmunds managed to untangle himself from his defender after receiving a pass from O’Brien, which was then converted for another goal to give his side some more breathing room.
Tanunda returned with a final play which secured a freekick and set shot for Tarik Sauer. However, Barossa got the last laugh with Elijah Grantham snagging a goal on the siren to seal the deal with a final score of 5.7 (37) to 3.2 (20).
Barossa District coach Jamie Sibbick was excited with the win and commended his team for their efforts.
“We won stoppages despite Tanunda’s excellent pressure, and we made the most of our opportunities in the third quarter,” he said.
“Dyson Sharp, Mitchell McDonald and Will O’Brien were probably our best.
“I was expecting a tough game, especially since our round two game was only a seven-point difference.”