Their handball was astray, they were continually caught with the ball and were most indirect in their play.
In direct contrast, Deni had runners and chasers everywhere.
They had a dangerous forward in Jeffries, who received strong support from Greg Danckert or Phillip Higgins as they changed in the pocket.
Bourke was doing a lot of damage around the centre and with Dixon and Shannon continually sent the NSW side into the attack.
Although the Tigers were unable to get their game together in this first half, they were still able to stay with the Blues and Golds.
Skipper Terry Wells was doing everything to keep his side in touch, Mick Rodger was doing well at half forward despite limited opportunities, while Brendan Brooks and John Downie were doing their best in defence to restrict Deni’s scoring.
However, the game changed complexion soon into the third quarter, when the whole Deni side appeared to lift their effort.
Bourke, Dixon and Ratcliffe began to dominate around the centre while Lackington, Hof and Jeffries were running riot forward.
Goals flowed for the NSW side through Hof, Jefferies, Bourke, Danckert and Ratcliffe as they raced to what appeared a match-winning 33-point lead.
However, that was where the Tiger's revival started, and one of the major contributors was the play of ‘benchwarmer’ Paul Baldi, whose strong play gave the Tigers the bite that had been missing from their play.
Following a clash between Kinross and Jennings, in which Deni's player was reported and Kinross taken off, Baldi went into the centre and, within minutes, figured in some strong play, which resulted in James Weeding marking in the goal square.
This, combined with a team-lifting goal from skipper Terry Wells from the boundary, gave Cobram renewed desire, as the Tiger Revival got underway.
When David Brooks magnificent angle snap also goaled, Cobram had reduced their deficit to 13 points at three quarter time.
Les Mogg had little say to his side at three-quarter time, but he was obviously hoping they could continue the last term as they finished the third quarter.
Phillip McIntyre goaled from a free to make it seven points the difference after only five minutes of play and it looked as though Cobram was getting the game together.
However, a centre square error at the bounce enabled Deni to get forward from the free, and Hof marked strongly in a pack in which coach Greg Danckert went down with a leg injury.
Hof goaled to put the Blue and Golds in a better position, and when the injured Danckert who had been moved to the pocket marked in the goal square he, sent his side to an 18-point lead, and again the premiership looked Deni’s.
Deni attacked continually in the mid-part of the last term, but desperate defence from Brendan Brooks, Mich Hoban and Rob Williams kept them out.
Cobram was again in trouble as they struggled to get the ball past the centre.
Finally the break came as David Brooks snapped another brilliant goal. Weeding goaled from a free and controversial mark and at the 24 minute mark the difference was one point.
It took another five minutes before either side could gain any penetration, with the defence of both sides being at their desperate best, and it was a pressure mistake by a Deni defender which allowed the Tigers to get forward for Peter Mogg to snap the winning goal 20 seconds from the finish of the game.
It was a disappointing finish for Deni, who had played the game of its life in the grand final yet could not withstand the persistence of the undefeated tigers.
No-one would deny Cobram deserved to win the premiership as they had been far superior to most sides during the season.
But their method of achieving this goal on Saturday must have left many hardened supporters with heart tremors.
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