Cobram claimed the Murray Football League under-17 flag for the first time since 1996 with a pulsating 29-point win against Rumbalara at Finley Recreation Reserve on Saturday.
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The Tigers won the Ellis Cup on the back of a wire-to-wire display, but the match was marred in the final moments by an incident that will come under significant scrutiny once the video footage is reviewed.
The young cubs managed to close out the opening stanza with a goal advantage and despite kicking three majors in the second term, the side was only five points up at half-time.
The tight tussle continued in the third quarter before Cobram broke the shackles in the last, kicking three goals to none to run out 64-35 victors.
Lewis McShane kicked four goals for the Tigers, while Will Slatterie slotted two. The Allen brothers, Matteo and Luca, scored a goal each, as did Harry Beasley.
Cobram coach Jason Kerr said his side was up for the contest against a Rumbalara outfit who had beaten his side in two previous meetings this season.
“The boys were fantastic in difficult conditions,” Kerr said.
“Our fitness showed in the end and we played a disciplined game after giving away a 50m penalty early.
“We wore them down and with five minutes to go, we broke them by kicking a couple of goals to win it.”
Kerr said his side managed to overcome any pre-match nerves by sticking to what had led the side to success during the season.
“Throughout the year, we had a good routine,” he said.
“We treated it like a normal week and our goal was to hit the first bounce with intensity.
“No-one was overawed by the occasion.
“I told them that the team which settles well takes control of grand finals and with the hard work over the whole day, we finished off the job.”
Kerr felt his side benefited from an easier draw in the regular season, but his players managed to turn it on when it counted.
“Our second last game in the home-and-away season against Finley sealed second spot and allowed us to have the double chance,” Kerr said.
“In the first week we had heaps of kids away on school excursions and we had no bench when we lost to Rumbalara.
“After that we have beaten every team we hadn't beaten (earlier in the season) and won the flag, the kids were terrific and peaked at the right time.”
The premiership flag caps off a stellar season for the under-17 side, which is made up of more than a handful of players from last year's under-14 premiership side.
A few have already tasted senior football and their coach is confident more will experience open-age competition next year.
“There are seven or eight kids that will go up to senior footy and a lot of them will be capable, no doubt about it,” Kerr said.
“The thing that stood out is we had 10 kids out of the fourths (last year's premiership side) and another five middle-aged players, so it was a great team effort for the younger kids to stand up and play beyond their years.”
Matteo Allen was named player of the match while Luca, skipper Lewis Kennedy, Slatterie, McShane and Oscar Mackay featured as Cobram's other better performers.
“Matteo was fantastic all day, his never say die attitude is a testament to him,” Kerr said.
“He was clean with the footy in difficult conditions and used it well when he got it and played an outstanding game.
“His defensive work was also great, he had a really good overall game.”
The unsavoury scenes in the final moments of the game meant the Tigers were robbed of the opportunity to celebrate on stage as the side made a direct route for the change rooms. From there, the team song was roared loud and proud.
The premiers continued their celebrations at Scott Oval in the evening before meeting up again for a barbecue at coach Kerr's house on Sunday.
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