Archives

« August 2002 | September 2002 | October 2002 »

A great night was had by all at The Exchange Hotel as Balmain Soccer Club celebrated another year of success. The premiership and grand final winning reserve team players were presented with their medals after a stirring speech from leaping Leo Cirillo.

Jackson Gothe-Snape smashed the competition in taking out the Balmain Players' Player of the Year award. In a much closer decision, Reserve Grade captain Ian Bailey narrowly beat Nick Bounds in being named Reserve Grade Players Player of the Year. And finally the fans' cult hero Steele Bonus was awarded with the Balmain Young Player of the Year.

An heroic performance from keeper Edgars Greste saw Birchgrove Reserves take out Saturday's grand final in a penalty shootout. Neither side could manage to win it in normal or extra time, despite several gilt edged chances, and the game finished a 0-0 stalemate. The pressure of the shootout brought out the best in Greste and his salmon-like leaps denied three of Blacktown's four penalties. Fittingly, the shootout was won with a Greste save and he was chaired from the field on the shoulders of a mob of happy players and supporters.

Congratulations to all the players as well as player/coach Alex Kaltenegger on a deserving end to a tremendous season.