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Paris Cockerels Retain Delayed French Title

  • Saturday, October 12 2019 @ 08:46 am ACDT
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In a match postponed since poor weather washed out the June Grand Final date, the premiership decider for the CNFA was played two weekends ago with the reigning premiers – Paris Cockerels – taking on the Stade Toulousain team from Toulouse.

It is unusual, and totally due to climate, that a Grand Final becomes the beginning of a season, but that is almost how things have worked out with the flag now decided and Round 1 of the 2019/20 CNFA season starting next weekend.

The match was almost played in two halves. The Cockerels were favourites heading into the match, but they were shocked early. According to the AFL Europe website, Stade Toulousain came out and “started to get on top with their ball movement as they started to control the match with their physicality and long kicking game style.”

By the main break, Stade Toulousain were almost five goals ahead and it would take a mighty effort from the Cockerels to turn the game around. However, turning the clock back to their 2017/18 flag when they piled on 10 goals in the opening quarter against the Coyotes to effectively end that contest at quarter-time, the Cockerels unleashed a massive third term that saw a five goal deficit become a five goal lead. It was amazing stuff and in the end, premiership defining.

Shell-shocked, the Stade Toulousain warriors tried to fight back in the final term. However, momentum was now firmly with the Cockerels and they went on to win the premiership by 55 points. It isn’t often that a team can give another a five goal head start at half time and take a flag, but the Cockerels did just that.

With the 2018/19 season now done, attention turns to next weekend and Round 1 of the new season. The Cockerels will meet the leagues newest team, the Antony Blues. The Cockatoos will complete the Paris double-header by hosting the ALFA Lions. The other double-header is in Toulose where the Stade Toulousain 1 team hosts the Bordeaux Bombers and the Stade Touousain 2 team meets the Bayonne Toreadors.

Final Scores:
Paris Cockerels 21 15 141 d State Toulousain 13 8 86