CDHBU contesting Hume League finals in all four grades of football

The Power has all four grades of football playing in September for only the second time after years in the finals wilderness.

After breaking a seven-year finals drought, the seniors face Rand-Walbundrie-Walla in the elimination final on Sunday straight after the reserves go head-to-head with Jindera.

But the real story lies in the junior grades, where CDHBU has come from a long way back to make the top six in both thirds and fourths.

The Power couldn't even field under-17s as recently as 2017 and finished bottom of the ladder last year with only one win to their name but on Saturday, they face last season's losing grand finalists Osborne with the season on the line.

CDHBU had no under-14 side in 2018 and the fourths went winless the following year but at times this season, they sat proudly on top of the ladder and finished fourth with an 11-5 record.

Now they face Culcairn on Sunday, when the Power's involvement in three of the four grades will bring a sea of silver, teal, black and white out to Walbundrie.

"It shows our programs are working," delighted football manager Paul Rippingale said.

"Our 14s have done it very tough over the years but they've battled on and this group's come together from the younger ages.

"They could quite easily have thrown the towel in - they were pushed around from pillar to post for years and never scored - so to have some success now is fantastic for the kids and also for the parents who have supported them.

"It means a lot to us as a footy club because we know we're doing the right things.

"We didn't have 17s a few years ago and getting the right people around the footy club has been so important; young Josh Black has done a fantastic job with this group.

"How far they go, we don't know, but at the end of the day it's a huge achievement for the villages."

The merged identity joined the Hume League in 2008 and first made finals in the senior grade five years later.

"It's taken a power of work," Rippingale said.

"It's more so about getting the right people in the right jobs.

"If you look at our 14s coach, Paul Phibbs, he's done a fantastic job with these kids for the last three years and to be on top of the ladder at some stages, that's a huge story from our point of view.

"We can't get enough of these kids.

"They back up and do the boundary around the joint, we had our best and fairest count on Sunday and there were 100-odd kids out there so from a club point of view, we couldn't be happier.

"The feeling out here is fantastic.

"Some clubs put a lot of emphasis just on seniors but we're very much focused on our junior program. Getting the right people is the first job - and getting the kids to enjoy it.

"They get on Darkie's bus on Thursday and head to Coreen and they love it.

"They sing songs and they're very polite, good kids.

"To get a little bit of success and to have been on top of the ladder, for the 14s, is huge and the 17s have worked really hard as a group together.

"What is does for your footy club, if you want to go and talk to some parents about what our program's like, well, we can tell them we've made finals."

CDHBU will also contest two of Sunday's netball elimination finals, in the 15/U and 13/U grades, and the sense of anticipation around the club is enormous.

"I'm really looking forward to it," Rippingale said.

"Just to see the smile on these kids' faces, they'll be there all day and we'll be there in droves.

"You worry about where kids' sport is at but to see this reward for effort and to be able to come out and say it's working, that's what I'm happy about."

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