Darling Range take out AFL Sportsready Cup

In a thrilling conclusion to the AFL SportsReady Cup competition, Darling Range Sports College took out the Cable Division title over a fast finishing CBC Fremantle.

This year’s Grand Final was played as a curtain raiser fixture at Patersons Stadium before the Fremantle v Carlton game.

The match opened up at a blistering pace with both sides physically testing eachother early. Darling Range held a slender two point break at half time.

With both teams demonstrating some outstanding team football in the second half, it looked like the game was heading to extra time. A goal in the last minute by CBC brought the margin back to one point with 30 seconds to play. In the end Darling Range hung on for a memorable victory.

The AFL SportsReady Cup competition is the largest upper secondary school football competition in WA, with 3250 students from over 130 metropolitan and country schools competing this year.

Over the 26 years the competition has been running approximately 80,000 boys have participated.

One of the major directions of the WA Football Commission and School Sport WA when the competition was established was to re-establish Australian Rules Football into all Secondary Schools.

Over the years football has provided the vehicle where values like loyalty, teamwork, respect, leadership, mateship, endeavour and integrity are taught. Both teams demonstrated these qualities in a highly skilled display and true sportsman’s like manner

Barry Cable, AFL Legend and WA Hall of Fame Member was on hand to present the AFL SportsReady Cup and medallions to the players, coaches and umpires.

Coree Thomson (Darling Range SC) and Michael Cronan (CBC Fremantle) were presented with the special AFL SportsReady Cup footballs used in the match as recognition for being their school’s best players in the grand final.

The Rhys Kampen Memorial Medal was awarded to Keegan Dyer from Darling Range SC for his outstanding contributions throughout the competition.

West Australian Football Commission Schools Competitions Manager Clayton Anderson said the WAFC is extremely proud to have such dedicated program partners in AFL SportsReady, and thanked them for their support as major sponsors.

“We look forward to their continued support in 2014. Congratulations to all schools involved in this year’s program we look forward to having them participate next year,” Mr Anderson said.

2014 AFL SportsReady Cup Grand Final Results:

Cable Division: Darling Range Sports College 6.4.40 def CBC Fremantle 5.9.39

Jakovich Division: Warwick SHS 6.10.46 def Corpus Christi College 2.2.14

Walker Division: Great Southern Grammar 8.1.49 def Albany SHS 4.3.27

B Division: Manea SC 7.6.48 def Geraldton SC 6.5.41

C Division: Newton Moore SHS 4.7.31 def WACOA Cunderdin 3.4.22