In a display of true sportsmanship, CDHBU and Rennie went head-to-head in a fiercely contested match for the annual Peter Murphy Cup in Rennie on Friday, March 24.
The stakes were high, with all proceeds from the night going towards the Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal.
Both teams were fired up and ready to give it their all on the field, with a Reserves and Seniors game.
Despite battling a decent wind in the first quarter, the CDHBU Reserves managed to hit the scoreboard and put up a solid fight against their strong opposition.
The team showed positive signs in the second quarter, with standout performances from Tom Collier, Sean Hanrahan and Jakeem Morgan who showed plenty of pace in his first game for the club. Rennie managed to pull away in the end, with a final score of 11.2.68 to 3.5.23.
Power Goals – J.Morgan, N.Grant, A.Phibbs.
Power Best – S.Hanrahan, T.Collier, J.Morgan, A.Lavis, S.Lavis, N.Grant, A.Phibbs.
In the senior game, the Power started off strong, winning plenty of football and driving the ball forward early. Young gun Ryan Beveridge stuck looked dangerous down forward and kicked a few snags, while Matthew Bush played a ripper of a game, making a huge impact across half forward. The team finished the game well, outscoring Rennie 9 goals to 1 over three quarters.
Nathan Rhodes, fresh from the maternity ward, was prolific across half back and through the midfield, while Simon Lavis was dangerous down forward in his second game of the night.
Power Goals – R.Beveridge 3, S.Lavis, A.Lavis, M.Bush, S.Cordwell, N.Rhodes, C.Smith.
Power Best – M.Bush, S.Ferguson, B.Rose, N.Rhodes, E.Hanrahan, R.Beveridge, J.Wilson.
The night was a positive way to round out the pre-season, with the CDHBU showing great potential for the upcoming season.
Special thanks were given to everyone who helped out on the night, particularly the Playford family, who drove the fundraising efforts. Over $1000 was donated on the night for the Corowa Wahgunyah Good Friday Appeal.
The CDHBU Power and Rennie Grasshoppers have a long history of raising funds for the Good Friday Appeal, with close to $7,000 being raised over the past six years from gate collections and barbecues.
The Under 17s and 14s also had a good hit out against Rutherglen on Friday night, with thanks given to the club for holding the games.
This Friday night marks the season launch at the Corowa Cricket Club rooms, starting at 5:30 pm. The Power are looking forward to an exciting season ahead, with the support of their dedicated fans and community behind them.