Classy mid-fielder Ryan Darling capped off a terrific season by winning the A Grade Mail Medal by a staggering 13 votes polling 33 during the minor round.

The B Grade also finished third on the ladder with 12 wins and 5 losses but their finals campaign came to an abrupt halt at Eudunda in the first semi getting thumped by BSR only scoring 3 behinds for the game to lose by 54 points.

The under 17s were fourth on the ladder at the end of the minor round with 11 wins and 6 losses. They defeated Eudunda by 16 points in the first semi but RSMU was too strong for the Cats in the preliminary-final winning by 20 points.

The under 14s finished the 2009 minor round in fifth position with 7 wins and 10 losses.

Last year’s premier Mintaro/Manoora began their defence of the title winning the opening three games of the season comfortably before losing against North at Clare by 4 points.

They dropped two more games in the minor round, to Blyth/Snowtown in round 12 at Manoora by 3 points in a classic game of football and to BBH at Burra in round 14 by 10 points to finish on the second rung of the Premiership ladder.

Unfortunately for them their finals campaign was a disaster after being struck down with gastro and a few injuries. BBH smashed them by 81 points in the second semi-final at Burra and in the preliminary-final at Clare Blyth/Snowtown beat them by 6 goals.

The Eagles B Grade team fared much better, they finished minor premiers with 14 wins and 3 losses. They fought out a tough contest to win the second semi over North Clare by 10 points and a fortnight later they went one better than last year by defeating BSR in the 2009 Grand-Final at Riverton by 21 points.

Rohan Dixon was a popular winner of the Best on Ground award for his work up forward nailing 4 goals and Scott Camilleri romped in the NEFL B Grade Best and Fairest award polling 19 votes to win the Geoff Pink Memorial Medal by 8.

The under 17s finished fifth on the ladder with 8 wins and 9 losses while the under 14s won 2 of the 17 minor round games to finish on the bottom rung.

Riverton/Saddleworth/Marr abel/United had a topsy-turvy 2009 season at A Grade level winning 9 games and losing 8 to finish in fourth spot on the Premiership ladder.

They lost their first three games before winning their next four, they lost their next two and won the next five games before being defeated by Min/Man, BBH and Blyth/Snowtown in rounds 15, 16 and 17.

They were bundled out of the finals by Blyth/Snowtown in the first semi at Eudunda by 33 points. One shining light was Jamie Williams winning the Taminga Hotel Goal-Kicking Trophy with 53 majors during the minor round.

The B Grade finished on the second last rung of the ladder with 5 wins and 12 losses while the under 17s were on top of the premiership ladder at the end of the minor round with 15 wins and 2 losses.

The under 17s capitulated in the second semi-final at Burra against a determined BSR team to lose by 14 points but they bounced back in the preliminary-final at Clare to defeat the Cats by 20 points and backed that up with a 63-point win over B.S.R. in the Grand-Final to claim back-to-back flags.

Nick Jordan won the Best on Ground award for the Grand-Final and Ben Moreton was runner-up in the NEFL under 17s Best and Fairest award polling 29 votes.

The under 14s were third on the ladder after round 17 with 13 wins and 4 losses. They defeated B.S.R. by 28 points in the first semi-final at Eudunda but found Eudunda far too strong in the preliminary-final going down by 64 points.

North Clare would have to be the most disappointed club in 2009 with their A Grade looking like worthy finals contenders before succumbing to the pressure losing games they should’ve won to finish fifth with 8 wins and 9 losses.

The B Grade commence the 2009 season in search of their fourth straight flag and jumped out of the gates like startled gazelles winning the first ten games. After losing their next game to Min/Man by a goal the wheels began to fall off.

They lost four of the final six games to finish on the second rung with 12 wins and 5 losses. They went out of the finals race in straight sets losing the second semi-final to Min/Man by 10 points and the preliminary-final to B.S.R. by 16 points. Tim Siv was runner-up in the NEFL Best and Fairest award.

The under 17s finished 2009 in seventh spot with 3 wins and 14 losses while the under 14s won 2 games for the season to end up on the seventh rung of the Premiership ladder.

South Clare would be reasonably satisfied with their season at A Grade level considering they began the season with a few quality players on the sidelines with injuries.

They finished in sixth spot on the ladder with 7 wins and 10 losses and they had the wood on their hometown neighbours winning two of the three local Derby’s. The ‘B’ Grade took home the wooden spoon with 2 wins as did the under 17s with only 1 win for the season.

The under 14s led the way for the club finishing on top of the Premiership ladder at the end of the round with 16 wins and 1 loss. They won the second semi-final at Burra by 32 points over Eudunda and reversed the result from 2008 by defeating Eudunda in the Grand-Final by a massive 62 points.

Luke Dunstan had an outstanding season nailing 110 goals in the minor round to win the Ken Noack Trophy for the leading goal-kicker and to complete the trifecta he was equal winner of the A.J. Cousins Medal for the NEFL Best and Fairest for the under 14s with 35 votes.

The Eudunda Roosters finished in seventh position on the Premiership ladder with 2 wins and 15 losses but they did show signs of a club on the improve with their main downfall being their goal-kicking ability. Their two wins were over BSR, by 44 points at home and by 55 points at Brinkworth.

The B Grade won 7 games for the season and lost 10 to finish on the fifth rung of the ladder but the club was well served by their under age teams.

The under 17s notched up 11 wins and were defeated 6 times to finish third at the end of the minor round. Blyth/Snowtown put an end to their season defeating them by 16 points in the first semi-final at Eudunda. Clinton Voigt won the Graeme Wandel Trophy for the Leading Goal-kicker award with 70 majors.

The under 14s had the chance to go back-to back after their Premiership in 2008 but after finishing second at the end of the minor round South beat them by 32 points in the second semi-final at Burra. They struck back to defeat R.S.M.U. by 64 points in the preliminary-final but were no match for South in the Grand-Final losing by 62 points.

Connor Blumson was the equal winner of the under 14s NEFL Best and Fairest award with 35 votes while Karl Milde was runner-up with 32 votes.

Brinkworth/Spalding/Redh ill didn’t have the greatest of seasons at A Grade level taking home the wooden spoon with only one win for 2009 over South Clare at Clare by 46 points in round 2 but the lower grades did very well.

The B Grade finished fourth on the ladder with 10 wins and 7 losses. They smacked Blyth/Snowtown by 9 goals in the first semi-final at Eudunda, beat North by 16 points in the preliminary-final at Clare but they ran out of puff in the grand final at Riverton going down to Min/Man by 21 points. Darren Jones won the Leading Goal-kicker award with 47 six-pointers.

The Tigers were terrific at under 17 level finishing in second spot on the Premiership ladder with 15 wins and 2 losses. They came from the clouds to defeat RSMU in the second semi-final at Burra by 14 points but just like 2008 they fell over at the final hurdle going down to RSMU by 63 points in the grand final.

Kyron Burgess took home the WWT Eagles Trophy for the under 17s NEFL Best and Fairest player polling 32 votes.

The under 14s also made the finals finishing in fourth spot with 9 wins and 8 losses but RSMU were a bit too strong for them in the first semi-final at Eudunda winning by 28 points.

The North Eastern Football League continues to improve and it will only get better as clubs try and improve their lists to even up the competition. Well done to the NEFL Executive, the club committees, the coaches, the trainers, the umpires and particularly the players for making this great game of ours one of the best standards of football north of Elizabeth. Bring on 2010.