The club was formed in 1985 and despite making the decider seven times since - they’ve been bridesmaids.

On Saturday, club history was born when the youngest Goannas of all - the Under 18s - secured the breakthrough 25-11 win over a gallant Kempsey Cannonballs outfit.

In a match that was torrid and tense, a 15-minute period of stoic defence laid the platform for Bowra’s win.

The first half was scrappy, and this played into Kempsey’s hands. The turnovers and penalties came at will and the Goannas were playing themselves into defeat.

Despite the mountain of possession against them, the Goannas scored two tries. Josh Bartlett scored beside the posts and Jye Perkins ran a great line from an excellent Peter Minisini pass to score late in the half to lead 10-6. 

The half time ‘rocket’ for the Goannas did not have the desired effect. More mistakes saw Kempsey sneak ahead 11-10.

Enter Tasman Jarrett. With the match in the balance, Jarrett beat five Kempsey players in an amazing run to score under the posts untouched, giving the Goannas the lead 15-11.

The next 15 minutes was all defence, as the Goannas repelled countless Kempsey attacks. The scrum improved considerably, and the Goannas finally retained the ball. After a rare penalty, Joel Cooper barged over to lead 20-11 with five minutes to go.

As the Cannonballs tried valiantly to score, their desperation created mistakes. Keith Donovan pounced on a loose kick and broke through the tiring defensive line before unloading to Jake Capell who scored with the last play of the game, sparking celebrations not seen before in Goannas history.

There were also several awards after the match. Connor Hoban was voted best player for his relentless runs and excellent scrummaging. Josh Bartlett capped a great year with the best zone player gong, and Max Hoysted was the highest point scorer for his support play and much improved goal kicking.

Jye Perkins was voted players’ player with an exceptional all round performance on the day.

In truth the grand final victory had been an effort years in the making and all players deserve enormous praise for their commitment to the season (the players came from as far afield as Bellingen and Stuarts Point).

The Goannas would also like to thank all the families who made the long trip, medical officer David Shrubb, cult hero Noel ‘Poley’ Short and all the sponsors for their selfless contribution to a highly successful campaign.

Presentation night will be on October 25, so check the Goannas Facebook page for further details.

We hope you enjoy the photo gallery taken by Karen Perkins.