AFTER a season in which Harrow-Balmoral only lost one game, the side capped it all off by claiming the senior flag by 25 points against Kalkee at City Oval in Horsham on Saturday.
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Within minutes of the first bounce, it rained heavily, making for slippery and scrappy conditions.
The Southern Roos, who are no strangers to playing wet-weather football, handled the conditions better in the first quarter but did have a wind advantage.
Harrow-Balmoral won more of the contested football throughout the contest, led by Will Plush, Peter Staude and Nick Pekin who were solid.
Both sides were nervy in the opening minutes before the Southern Roos kicked two in a row.
Kalkee’s Lachie Exell had a chance with a snap after taking the ball cleanly from the ruck but just missed.
Shortly after, Kalkee moved Exell into the back line to help contain Harrow-Balmoral.
The Southern Roos kicked another two goals before quarter-time while Kalkee could only manage three behinds in the quarter.
When Harrow-Balmoral playing coach Nick Pekin kicked the first of the second term, it looked like Kalkee was going to be in a bit of trouble.
But the Kees found a way back into the game, and locked the ball in their forward 50 for the second half of the second term.
The side wasted some chances but found goals through Harry Wentworth, Lachie and Hamish Exell and Jasper Gunn to be within 10 points at the main break.
Just as he did at the start of the second term, Pekin kicked a major within a minute of the third term to re-gain momentum.
Both sides kicked two goals in the third term, and despite going with the wind the Southern Roos only had a 15 point lead heading into the final term.
The Kees played solidly in the third term but wasted a number of chances from the forward left pocket.
Harrow-Balmoral had the best possible start to the final quarter, with best on ground Anthony Close running into an open goal shortly after the re-start.
Kalkee had enough of the ball in the final term, but failed to create many scoring opportunities.
Pekin capped off the game with an almost impossible goal from the right-hand forward pocket.
The Southern Roos leader grabbed the ball from under a pack, put it on the boot and it went through the middle of the sticks to secure the game.
Harrow-Balmoral claimed the 2018 premiership with a 11.10 (76) to 6.15 (51) win.