Nomads win 2015 Tablelands Cup!
The Nomads’ victorious Tablelands Cup team.
The New England Nomads have won the Tablelands Cup for only the second time the history of the cup, the last time being in 2008. In the final against the Black Diamond powerhouse, Cardiff, the Nomads ran out winners by 4 points. Led by new captain and resident goal sneak, David Modra Richards, the Nomads played excellent football all day and look to be in fine form for the 2015 season.
The carnival was held in warm weather with not a cloud in the sky all day. 36 Nomads turned up to play which was very pleasing. It was wonderful to have such strong numbers.
It was already quite hot by the time the first game against Cardiff kicked off at 10.50 am. The Nomads took Cardiff by surprise in what turned out to be a very intense game. This game saw some of the best football seen in the region for a long time. For the Nomads the usual suspects, Weston Whitby, Captain Mod, Zac Economou, Jed Ellis-Cluff and Tommy Hunt were starring. But there were also some new faces in the team who were doing well, including Tim Keys and young Liam Howard. The effort all over the ground was brilliant and the Nomads shocked the boys from Cardiff, who had probably assumed their winning the cup was a foregone conclusion.
The next game against Moree was played at a more leisurely pace and a number of the Nomads donned the Moree guernsey to ensure a quality game. The boys did take their collective feet off the pedal for this game which was played in the midday sun.
The final round robin game was played against the newly formed Coffs Breakers. This was a closely fought game but in the end the Nomads quality ball movement was too much for the Coffs. The forward trio of Zac the Coach, Weston and Jed proved too much for the Coffs defence with all three taking some great grabs.
This set up a final between Cardiff and the Nomads which the Nomads won, though the Nomads were lucky the siren sounded when it did since the Cardiff boys were on a roll in the last 5 minutes. It had been a long day and there were some very tired and sore bodies who trudged off the field at the end of the final.
This was an exceptional effort on the part of the Noeys. Right across the ground, the Nomads had winners. The team have benefitted this year from having most of last year’s team on the paddock. In most year’s we have had to rebuild and forge a team whereas this year it has felt more like ‘finetuning’. It was great to see the skill level of the boys. It was also wonderful to see some old faces, including Sol Hanks, ‘Serpico’ Woodward (back from Costa Rica) and Hoani “The Haitchman” back in the green. Pleasing also was the form of the young guns, especially the home grown recruits Clarrie Barker, Ryan Davies and Sam teh Man Bioletti.
Finally, we should thank those who made it possible, including the chief organiser, Tom Granleese, as well as Brendan Meehan who organised all the bbq material, Zac Economou, Tony Dickson (treasurer extraordinaire) Brendan Nolan, Jed Ellis-Cluff and Rachel and David Thorsen. Special thanks to all of these people for their efforts in making this a great day.
