The four-time league best and fairest winner for Coreen Swans — a three-time premiership player and long-time club and league president — was a bit nervous before the game but pleasantly surprised by the size of the win.

“It is a great relief and an unexpected win to a certain extent, based on the way we went the fortnight before,” he said.

“We had beaten Coly easily in the wet (during the season) so we thought it might have been the wet weather that helped us win that game, but it proved today that when we get everybody switched on and the best players on the ground then there’s no better side in the league.”

The Saints were belted in the first final by the Blues and there were some nerves around the club which hadn’t enjoyed premiership success since the CDU, then CDBHU amalgamations.

“It’s a tremendous win for the club,” Carroll said.

“It’s the first senior premiership for the club since the amalgamation and it means so much for the future of the club.

“It means a lot to us.

“It was a very painful loss last year and to come out and win is full credit to the players who took part, the committee and the executive who got the club back up to win the premiership on the rebound.”

President Gerard Talbot said the uncertainty leading into the match made the victory all the sweeter.

“There were a few doubters but I thought after the preliminary final, with the way we played and the players we had back, we could turn the job around,” he said.

“Last year’s disappointment was probably a huge help today, to help us get over the line.”

Talbot paid particular tribute to Ian Bock who finished his career with the win and Chris Collins, the Saints’ long-serving secretary.

“Bocky’s been a great clubman ... and Chris has done a wonderful job over 22 years,” he said.