A most unlikely back to back
Trinity Aquinas’ Matthew McLean speaks to Chris Egan
Throughout the previous 99 seasons of the Perth Football League there have been just a select 21 clubs who have won ‘A Grade’ premierships. There is an even more select group of just 11 clubs that have won back to back ‘A Grade’ premierships. Of those 11 back to back flags, you would be hard pressed to find a more remarkable one, then the Trinity Aquinas premiership of 2017
But to consider just how remarkable the Trinity Aquinas back to back flags of 2016 and 2017 were, you also have to consider the history of the club for the first 46 years of its existence.
Having formed in 1970 as Trinity Old Boys, the club had struggled to secure senior premierships, with a ‘C Grade’ premiership in 1976 and a ‘B Grade’ premiership in 1999.
Former player and club President Matthew McLean remembers the 1999 premiership vividly.
“At the time it was the club’s highest premiership they had actually won,” McLean said.
“In the 99 year we won the B Grade, the B Reserves and one or two other lower grade flags so came away with three or four premierships that year.”
As good as that season was as a collective for the club, the 2016 season would be even better as Trinity Aquinas became the 21st club, and last first time winner, to win an ‘A Grade’ premiership. That ‘A Grade’ premiership came after they swept through the finals, winning three consecutive finals against North Beach, University and Scarborough on route to the flag.
Sixteen rounds into the 2017 season, few would have been considering a back to back premiership for Trinity Aquinas, as they sat seventh on the ladder, needing two wins from their final two home and away season games just to make finals and go back to defend their crown. They would take care of the first part of the equation beating Kalamunda and Wembley, squeezing into fifth place heading into the finals.
As they started the 2017 finals campaign, it was a pretty simple equation, Trinity Aquinas would have to beat all four of the other top five sides in North Beach, Fremantle CBC, University and Scarborough to claim an unlikely premiership. Probably even less likely when you consider throughout the year, Trinity Aquinas had a 1-7 record against those four teams.
Yet producing one of the most stunning months of finals football in Perth Football League ‘A Grade’ history, Trinity Aquinas would do the unthinkable.
Trailing by 10 points to Scarborough at three quarter time of the Elimination final, Trinity Aquinas would storm home, squeaking to a five point win. In the first semi final, they would have four less scoring shots than University, yet still record a narrow six point win and then in the Preliminary Final, they would beat Fremantle CBC by 22 points.
A week later in the 2017 Grand Final, Trinity Aquinas would complete a perfect 4-0 finals month, as they prevailed by 34 points to complete back to back ‘A Grade’ premierships. Across their premiership seasons of 2016 and 2017, Trinity Aquinas would go a perfect 7-0.
In 100 seasons, it remains one of the great late season premiership runs. Trinity Aquinas, the 21st, of 21 ‘A Grade’ premiers so far.