Lions Secure Flight Centre Premier League Title
Lions FC have been crowned the 2016 Flight Centre Premier League Premiers on Sunday evening after defeating Eastern Suburbs 2-1 at Lions Stadium with three rounds to spare. Peter Gaffney set Lions on their way in the 32nd minute before a goal of the season contender from Nathan Shepherd shortly after the hour mark had Lions ready to claim back to back premierships. A late reply from Easts Jongsoo Kim provided a few anxious final minutes as the champagne was put back on ice temporarily, but celebrations erupted upon Referee Martin Krenes's final whistle as the first piece of silverware of the 2016 season was claimed. It's been no mean feat for Warren Moon's charges, especially considering the disruption to perssonel during the season, including the loss of centre back Matija Simic for the year after breaking his leg in the BLK Silver Boot Final just prior to the season getting underway.
Here's the team lists from RD1 and from RD19...
RD1 team line-up. Zabaks (gk), Butters, Tobin (Ipswich Knights), Lewis (Returned to UK), Takahashi, Gaffney, Ahern (Peninsula Power), Schiavo (long term injury), Reardon, Shepherd,Jankovic. Subs: Murphy, Hammad, Spiandorello (Peninsula Power, Cosgrove, Bonotto (Peninsula Power)
RD19 team line-up.
Zabaks (gk), Butters, Fetahagic, Takahashi, Gaffney, Jomanday, Reardon, Shepherd, Jankovic, Diaz, Fujitani. Subs: Murphy (rgk), Cosgrove, Kenyon, Pillay, Morgan. Ultimately though, Lions FC have deserved their title with just 3 defeats and 1 draw in 19 games and a goal difference far superior to anyone else in the league, largely based on their defensive prowess of conceding less than a goal a game. A surprise loss to Holland Park Hawks in round 2 provided the remainder of the pack some hope of a challenge, but it was short lived as Lions went on an 11 game unbeaten run. Some nervous moments in the last few weeks looked to derail their ambitions of which one has now gone in the way of the treble, after Capalaba bundled them out of the Canale Cup during the week. Of course the main prize is the premiership and under the guidance of Coach Warren Moon, who himself has had to don the boots during this campaign, and his assistant Darren Sime; Lions have realised their main goal of 2016. Can they now go on and claim a Grand Final success? It is something that has eluded them in recent years and something captain Phil Zabaks will be desperate to add to his long list of honours.
