RUGBY UNION
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TJ CUNYNGHAME was there in 2013 when Orange Emus took home the Blowes Clothing Cup wooden spoon.
On Saturday his team was at the other end of the ladder with a grand final victory.
“You can’t get a better feeling than this,” the Emus scrumhalf beamed.
“I’ve played with a lot of these guys in senior football for years. Three or four years ago we struggled, getting the spoon, you’ve just to stick in there, but the feeling today is you can’t beat it.”
After the game, Emus flanker Simon Badgery was still coming to terms with a brilliant individual effort to set up his side's final try, which winger Carter Hirini scored.
Badgery was given a great pass from replacement forward Rob Thorburn and ran 30 metres, before linking with the kiwi flyer who dived over in the corner.
“I saw Rob break through there, pop the ball and I saw a hole and I just ran through it. I didn’t think I had that speed in me but I’m glad we got there,” Badgery said.
“It’s bloody unreal I tell you. It’s been a long year. I knew we had the boys here to do it. I’m very happy.”
VIDEO: What Cunynghame, Badgery and Hughes-Clapp had to say about the grand final win:
Emus second rower Nick Hughes-Clapp said to win the premiership was a great relief.
“There was a lot of pressure leading up to the game, with the old boys. Everyone wanted it and everyone needed it and we got the result we wanted. It’s fantastic,” he explained.
The battle in the forwards was particularly brutal.
“The intensity was right up there,” the second rower said.
“Obviously we had to hit rucks all day. They [Lions] were running the ball much harder than they were the first time around but we did what was required.”
VIDEO: What Orange City's Sam Coote had to say after the win:
At the other end of the field, City winger Sam Coote had a simple explanation for his side’s loss.
“Emus definitely too good on the day,” Coote said.
“No excuses, we were beaten one to 15. Their forwards were dominating and at the end there, their backs just had a bit too much class.”
The winger said discipline cost his side in a tough encounter.
“The first half, that try on half-time, we thought we could have turned the tide but we just kept giving penalties away in our own 40,” he said.
“[Nigel] Staniforth is going to pot them all day, which he did. Our discipline wasn’t on. It didn’t go our way today but full credit to Emus - they deserved the win and deserved the premiership.”
Coote admitted his team probably exceeded their expectations and hoped they could reflect and still take some pride in what they achieved this season.