Lightning has struck twice for the Wodonga Storm, winning their second Murray Cup in as many years on Sunday afternoon.
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The wild weather from earlier in the week had cleared by the time play kicked off at Greenfield Park, but the Storm were brewing on the field.
A dominant performance saw them claim their second straight flag with a 28-12 win over the Murray River Warriors.
Storm captain Michael Beudeker was irrepressible, frequently setting u key passages of play as the Storm put the Warriors defence on the back foot time and again.
The first half was an arm wrestle – the Warriors crossed and converted twice early on in the first half, but it was the Storm who took the lead heading into half time.
Whatever spark the Warriors had in the first half began to slip away in the second, and the Storm's stonewall defence held firm.
At the other end, the Warriors turned in a gallant effort on defence, but all too often they were holding on to the last line.
Eventually though, the Storm found the cracks in the defence and extended their lead beyond the reach of the Warriors.
The Storm’s 14-point victory was the culmination of a season’s toil, coach Clay Sawaki said.
“All I can say is, everyone has put in – that’s all I asked of them at the start of the year,” he said.
“Everyone gave 110 per cent.
“At the start of the year it was like a changing of the guard, we had new army boys coming in, some going out and a few other new faces.
“They had to step up and show what they’re made of.”
Sawaki paid tribute to the vanquished Warriors, who, alongside the Storm, had been the clear standouts at the top of the table all season.
“I expected nothing but the best from them, they’ve been at the pinnacle of the competition all year.
“They gave it 110 per cent, but we were just a little hungrier.”
Wodonga Storm’s Kyle Swallow was named league MVP after the match.
Club president Bill Bell said it was a banner day in the Storm’s history.
“This is the first time we’ve gone back to back,” he said.
“It was definitely a rebuilding year, we didn;t actually realise until our first game that was only had three forwards and three backs from last year’s final.
“But the boys came together really well and brought it home.”