Manchester defeat Nottingham to win 2012 AFL CNE Premiership
- Monday, August 13 2012 @ 06:24 pm ACST
- Contributed by: Tobietta Rhyman
- Views: 2,405
In a nail biting finale, the Manchester Mosquitoes defeated rivals Nottingham Scorpions to take home the 2012 AFL Central and Northern England Premiership title.
The event was held at the fantastic Lockwood Park in Huddersfield, under bright sunshine, with supporters taking to the grandstand to cheer on their teams.
The two final contenders this year, the Mosquitoes and the Scorpions, have been deadly rivals for years, both top level teams with a healthy number of talented squad men to choose between. This year the two teams finished first and second in the league with very little between them. The Mozzies were undefeated in the home and away season, but Nottingham came extremely close during their last league meeting.
With the previous two seasons alternating between them, Manchester having defeated Nottingham in a similar grand final setting in 2010 and Nottingham having defeated Huddersfield in 2011 grand final, this year’s grand final was going to be one hell of grudge match.
During the semi-finals, the Scorpions hammered third placed and strong contender Sheffield Thunder 21.19(145) to 5.10(40). But Manchester also put in an awe inspiring performance, beating fourth placed Huddersfield Rams 27.34(196) to 4.1(25).
The day was opened by the home side Huddersfield Rams taking on the CNE Demons in a friendly curtain raiser to get the spectators in the mood for some action. After the CNE Demons defeated the Rams by 99 points to 68, the main event, the 2012 CNE Grand Final, got underway, opened by Huddersfield’s mayor.
Throughout the season, the Mozzies signature style of play has been to open strong in the first quarter and try and get as many points on the board as possible, but Nottingham were having none of it, instead turning the tables on them and kicking two goals early on. Manchester managed to scrape a goal back but it was tough going for the league leaders and they went into the break a goal down. (Man 3.3(21) to Nott 4.3(27))
The second quarter was pretty much a repeat of the first and despite all efforts by the Manchester lads, it looked like the Scorpions were starting to dominate, despite the Mozzies being unbeaten throughout the season. But refusing to let their hard work all year slip away from them, the Manchester players fought back and managed to get a few goals, reducing the deficit back to a one goal lead by half time. (Man 8.3(51) to Nott 9.3(57))
After the half time break, the Mozzies came out looking far stronger than in the first half, evidence perhaps of some rather stern team talks by the coaches. There were some excellent grabs by the Mozzie’s captain Matt Wielgosz and the Mozzies managed to convert most of their chances and pull into the lead. But the Scorpions were by no means down and out and hit back blow for blow, the game coming right down to the wire with two points separating the two rivals at three quarter time. (Man 13.6(84) to Nott 13.4(82))
The Mozzies came out really strongly in the 4th quarter with every intention of bringing home the cup they had worked so hard for all season. After some initial Nottingham resistance, the sheer effort required to keep up with the fitter Mozzies started to show and the Scorpions finally gave the Mozzies some slack. Their reins relaxed, the Mozzies started to pepper the Nottingham goal, but pressure and fatigue were starting to show with shots going wide, something that Manchester have suffered from all season. In defence however, they somehow managed to limit the Scorpions to two behinds, surging the ball forwards through an exhausted Nottingham midfield and inflicting some major damage in the last 10 minutes to finish the game four goals up and bring home the 2012 AFL CNE Premiership title.
Final score: Manchester Mosquitoes 17.11(113) def Nottingham Scorpions 13.6(84)
During the semi-finals, the Scorpions hammered third placed and strong contender Sheffield Thunder 21.19(145) to 5.10(40). But Manchester also put in an awe inspiring performance, beating fourth placed Huddersfield Rams 27.34(196) to 4.1(25).
The day was opened by the home side Huddersfield Rams taking on the CNE Demons in a friendly curtain raiser to get the spectators in the mood for some action. After the CNE Demons defeated the Rams by 99 points to 68, the main event, the 2012 CNE Grand Final, got underway, opened by Huddersfield’s mayor.
Throughout the season, the Mozzies signature style of play has been to open strong in the first quarter and try and get as many points on the board as possible, but Nottingham were having none of it, instead turning the tables on them and kicking two goals early on. Manchester managed to scrape a goal back but it was tough going for the league leaders and they went into the break a goal down. (Man 3.3(21) to Nott 4.3(27))
The second quarter was pretty much a repeat of the first and despite all efforts by the Manchester lads, it looked like the Scorpions were starting to dominate, despite the Mozzies being unbeaten throughout the season. But refusing to let their hard work all year slip away from them, the Manchester players fought back and managed to get a few goals, reducing the deficit back to a one goal lead by half time. (Man 8.3(51) to Nott 9.3(57))
After the half time break, the Mozzies came out looking far stronger than in the first half, evidence perhaps of some rather stern team talks by the coaches. There were some excellent grabs by the Mozzie’s captain Matt Wielgosz and the Mozzies managed to convert most of their chances and pull into the lead. But the Scorpions were by no means down and out and hit back blow for blow, the game coming right down to the wire with two points separating the two rivals at three quarter time. (Man 13.6(84) to Nott 13.4(82))
The Mozzies came out really strongly in the 4th quarter with every intention of bringing home the cup they had worked so hard for all season. After some initial Nottingham resistance, the sheer effort required to keep up with the fitter Mozzies started to show and the Scorpions finally gave the Mozzies some slack. Their reins relaxed, the Mozzies started to pepper the Nottingham goal, but pressure and fatigue were starting to show with shots going wide, something that Manchester have suffered from all season. In defence however, they somehow managed to limit the Scorpions to two behinds, surging the ball forwards through an exhausted Nottingham midfield and inflicting some major damage in the last 10 minutes to finish the game four goals up and bring home the 2012 AFL CNE Premiership title.
Final score: Manchester Mosquitoes 17.11(113) def Nottingham Scorpions 13.6(84)
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