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Unbeaten all year until Sunday, Balmain reserves fell at the final hurdle in their quest for the perfect campaign, going down 2-0 in the final to Colo Colo. Looking off the pace for most of the game, the Tigers still had enough chances to win the game against an opposition who rarely threatened, in a game that failed to reach any great heights.

Colo Colo took the upper hand early and enjoyed a glut of possession without making keeper Delaney lift a finger. At the other end, Ilias Hatzidavid hit the crossbar with a header, and Chris Grayson had to cut short his celebrations when a header that look goalbound was somehow clawed around the post in what most observers agree was the save of the season. 0-0 at half time and the trend continued in the second, with Hatzidavid lifting a shot just over the bar and Colo Colo looking unthreatening. However a Colo Colo substitution on the hour proved a master stroke, with nuggetty wide man Carlos Carlosqez dancing and nutmegging his way down the line, sending in a bullet cross which the previously anonymous six and half foot Antoine Sibierski lookalike up front headed in for the lead.

Still the chances came for Balmain, with a Hatzidavid header again denied by another fine save by the flying Colo Colo keeper. But alas, it was not to be the Tigers' day, and they even suffered the ignominy of a second goal in injury time after the referee spotted Dave Horse practicing his off season judo routine on the Colo Colo striker who was through on goal. All in all, it was a rather tame affair as far as grand finals go, and despite having the lion's share of the chances, the Tigers really didn't look as if they deserved to win the match. Congratulations go out to both Colo Colo on a well deserved victory, and of course the mighty Tigers who can still be proud of a season in which they pretty much swept all before them.