A season of ups and downs has ended with Donnybrook claiming the 2018 South West Football League premiership title.
Placing sixth in the past three seasons, the Dons were more determined than ever to secure a finals spot.
The team’s players and supporters were brought closer together earlier this year following the loss of former Dons’ star Joel Parker.
They remained on-top of the ladder for the majority of the season, scoring 14 wins and four losses from 18 rounds.
Playing their semi-final at VC Mitchell Park, the side progressed to the decider with a convincing 9.5.59 to 4.9.33 win over Bunbury.
The Bulldogs finished the regular season in second, notching up thirteen wins and five losses.
During the finals, the team claimed a nine-point victory over Eaton Boomers and a tight three-point win against Augusta-Margaret River.
The competition’s top-two sides were expected to produce a visceral, enthralling grand final showdown.
The sun shone down upon the crowd of excited Bunbury and Donnybrook fans at Hands Oval on Sunday afternoon.
Bunbury was on a roll, following wins in the women’s grand final last week and the colts decider earlier in the day.
The Bulldogs felt confident after winning the toss, choosing to kick to a slight breeze towards the northern end.
Donnybrook had other ideas and launched into an all-out assault in the first term.
Dons’ forward Samual Lowrie opened the scoring with a comfortable effort in front.
The visitors outgunned Bunbury in the rucks and midfield, with Dons’ players landing short disposals in and around the forward 50.
The side also excelled in defence and refused to let Bunbury move into its forward 50.
Lowrie and Chris Atthowe brought their A-game to the contest, continually setting up Brett Eades in the forward pocket.
Bunbury was blindsided by Donnybrook and struggled to move the ball up forward throughout the term.
With Bulldogs’ back Kane Bumann and forward Matt Martin out with injury, Jesse Gribble endeavoured to make up for their absence.
Following Gribble and Bunbury’s first for the game, Eades slotted Donnybrook’s second and third goals.
Eades’s third then stretched the Dons’ lead out to 20 points.
Late in the term, Bulldog Brett Peake’s first attempt on goal ended with a shoddy kick out on the full.
Bunbury’s Braiden Mcmullen miss-timed a mark attempt, before the ball found its way to Donnybrook’s Fraser Healey.
Healey’s effort gave Donnybrook a promising 5.4.34 to 1.0.6 lead at quarter time.
Tempers on and off the field flared as both sides took part in a major tussle after the siren.
Driven to halt Donnybrook’s run, Bunbury’s Codey Hay and Bradley Blake starred for the side in the second term.
Donnybrook broke its 18-year drought with a 39-point win over Bunbury in Sunday's South West Football League grand final.
Following a couple of near misses from the Dons, Tyson wood kicked a much-needed second goal for Bunbury.
Donnybrook immediately answered through a sterling effort from Dion Parker.
The side kept play to within its forward 50 for the remainder of the term, hampered only by several near misses.
Goals to Healey and Jace Cormack shrunk the Bulldogs’ chances of back-to-back premierships.
Leading 8.11.59 to 2.1.13 at the main break, Donnybook’s performance had captivated the capacity crowd.
Gribble delighted fans with his side’s third for the game, before Jayden D’Vauz and Lance Smith extended the Dons’ lead to 52.
A miss-kick from Cormack in the goalsquare led to Atthowe’s first for the game.
Bunbury picked up the pace and appeared reinvigorated following goals to Gribble and Mcmullen.
Dylan Heasman and Gribble then kept their side in contention with the Bulldogs’ sixth and seventh goals respectively.
The Dons led 11.15.81 to 7.5.47 at the final change and had the title firmly within their grasp.
Cormack celebrated his third before Heasman entertained fans with two consecutive majors.
Bulldog Matt Partridge took an impressive grab inside the goalsquare, but was mocked for his horrendous miss-kick straight afterwards.
Peake’s first for the game and Gribble’s fourth made little impact on the contest.
Eades’s efforts in the pocket were a delight to watch, as the forward booted another three in the fourth term.
A thrilling first half ensured a 16.16.112 to 11.7.73 win to Donnybrook, marking the team’s first premiership since 2000.
Eades’s bundle of goals earned him best on ground.
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