Gunditjmara Bulls win 2022 Limestone Coast Rugby League grand final

The Warrnambool-based team celebrated its Limestone Coast Rugby League season with a premiership after clawing back from a half-time deficit to defeat Stawell Mounties on Saturday.

Proud Bulls coach Beau Arnold said the team - down eight-nil - showed resilience to go on a 22-0 run after the main break, making the two-hour trip home from Stawell more enjoyable.

"Everyone was nervous and we were pretty frazzled in the first half," he said.

"The game was pretty crazy, pretty frantic and once we settled down and got into our rhythm, we started to put some points on."

Arnold, 34, said the Bulls' fitness levels helped their cause, as they nullified the Mounties' scoring power, as did inner belief.

The Bulls were only side to defeat the minor premiers in the home-and-away season.

'We just ran them off their feet; we just kept playing," he said of their remarkable turnaround which included four tries, two conversions and penalty goal.

"They sort of tired towards the back-end of the game and we kept going and kept scoring."

Arnold, who grew up in Queensland playing rugby league and moved to Victoria a decade ago, said it was special to be part of the sport's emergence in the south-west.

The Bulls returned to the field in 2023 after a hiatus due to COVID-19 restrictions which forced the competition to the sidelines.

He said making an instant impact in the competition's comeback season was special.

"It was the first time making the grand final and it means everything," Arnold said.

"We've only been going for three seasons.

"We've been knocked out in the semi-finals every season before now so to win it is amazing."

Arnold, who had leadership support from Gunditjmara Bulls president Coedie Carter-Clarke and captain Arona Elsbury, hopes the win can help rugby league grow its footprint.

He would love the Bulls' women's team to find a competition to play in next year too.

"Numbers are phenomenal. I had to tell quite a lot of people that they couldn't play finals from not qualifying from throughout the season," he said of the depth on the Bulls men's list.

"We had great numbers all season which is great to see and it would be great to have a league in the south-west in the future.

"The sport is progressing a lot down here."

Phillip Chatfield was named best on ground for his performance in the grand final after a strong showing in centre.

"He was a standout all season really," Arnold said.

"Our forward pack just kept going and going too and laid the platform for us backs to do what we do."

Gunditjmara Bulls, who played their home games at South Warrnambool-based Friendly Societies' Park, made the decider after trouncing Naracoorte Jets 58-0 in their semi-final.

The men's competition consisted five teams from across Victoria and South Australia.

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