The Kincumber Colts ended a 13-year drought when they took out the Central Coast rugby league grand final on Saturday, September 20, edging out Toukley 18-12 at Morry Breen Oval.
Nathan Davis was named Player of the Match, while Kyle Lang lived a fairytale – once the ball boy, now a premiership winner.
The victory gave the Colts their first premiership since 2012, breaking a drought that has hung over the proud club for more than a decade.
Kincumber started the stronger of the two sides, piling on three tries in the first half through Lewis Radley, Nathan Davis and Kyle Lang.
Matt Moylan added three conversions to push the Colts to an 18-0 lead.
But the Hawks refused to go quietly.
After the break, they struck back with tries to Harry Packham, Jye Tudehope and Kyle McCudden.
Their vocal supporters filled the hill and helped lift their side back into the contest.
In the end, missed conversions proved costly as the Colts held on by six points.
Kincumber player/coach David Fifita, exhausted but proud, said the day summed up the season.
“It’s been a long year (but) it’s been great – a lot of ups and downs,” Fifita said.
“We knew we had a great team here; we just felt we were coming in confident.”
“We were only ever going to lose it if we lost it ourselves, and in the end it was a great day.”
Fifita praised the way the community got behind the grand final.
“The atmosphere was unreal,” he said.
“I just wish I could have experienced the whole day, because the 19s got a great win and the firsts had our support, but we watched it from the clubhouse as a team before catching the bus over here,” he said.
“By the time we got out on the field the atmosphere was amazing and it carried right through to the end.”
He was quick to acknowledge the effort of the opposition.
“Credit to Toukley though; their fans were great, and having them give it to us on the tryline was pretty tough,” he said.
“They filled up the hill and really backed their boys.”
On the flow of the game, Fifita said the pattern had been there all season.
“We scored our first three tries in the first half and then Toukley came back at us in the second,” he said.
“It’s been like that all year and I don’t know why.
“We like to get off to a great start and then just defend the rest of the match.”
Nathan Davis was named Player of the Match for a tireless performance that lifted the Colts at crucial moments.
The night also delivered a fairytale for Kyle Lang.
The last time Kincumber won a grand final he was the ball boy.
Thirteen years on, he crossed for a try and held the trophy aloft as a premiership winner in his own right.
When the final siren sounded, players and fans alike erupted.
For long-time supporters, who had waited since 2012, and for a squad stacked with both experience and homegrown talent, it was a night that will live long in Kincumber’s history.
Skaie Hull
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