Noble Park’s grand final victory is a fairy-tale finish for two of its everlasting champions.
Forwards Shayne Allan and Ziggie Alwan will ride off into the sunset together, after calling time on two incredible careers.
The pair announced ahead of the preliminary final that this season would be their last, wary of upcoming opponent South Croydon.
But the Bulls were far from finished, pushing out eight more quarters of brilliant football to see Allan and Alwan finish their careers fittingly.
While he’s now a three-time premiership player, Allan was left pinching himself with a premiership medallion draped around his neck on Saturday afternoon.
“It’s still trying to sink in,” he said.
“It was the same sort of feeling coming into the game (as previous grand finals); I am just a bit shocked with how it has ended and how we have both scripted it.”
Alwan was in less shock than his great mate, but was still extremely grateful of the voyage that has seen a memory or two created.
“It’s been amazing, it’s been a journey,” he reflected.
“It’s been a bit of an up and down 10-year period for the club, but since we have come back it’s been amazing.
“Hughesy (Steve Hughes) has done an amazing job with the group, hence us being where we are today.”
Allan finishes with 263 games to his name, after chalking up game 250 in round 8 against Balwyn.
He surged past his own expectations by playing each and every game in 2022.
“Yeah come back this year and gave myself the goal to play eight games and potentially finals,” Allan revealed.
“I didn’t think it would be scripted like this; this moment is massive.”
As for Alwan, well he couldn’t have written a better ending himself.
“You can’t ask for much more than that,” he said.
“Your last game at the club that you’ve played so much football at, grand final, I mean it’s just a cherry on top really.”
When the game was well and truly in the bag, the Noble Park faithful were insistent on coach Steve Hughes putting the pair in a position that would see them kick a goal.
Alwan had his opportunity, while Allan was deprived of his chance.
With a sense of unwarranted shame, Allan revealed 40-goal season came from just the 18 home and away outings.
“I didn’t kick a goal in the finals,” he joked.
“Yeah, three games… I was sniffing around late, but it doesn’t matter.
“I just wanted to win today; I didn’t care if I got a touch.”
The Bulls’ number 5 couldn’t have asked for a better crack at it, lined up in front of the three busloads of Noble Park supporters that braved the rain.
But it wasn’t to be, as his experienced legs checked out in the difficult conditions.
“What happened was… I was cramping,” Alwan explained.
“I marked it and as I marked it, I said to Marto (Kyle Martin), “mate I can’t shoot this, I am cramping in my calves and hammys’.
“I just tried and as I kicked I cramped up and couldn’t get the journey, it is what it is.”
As for the best part of the day, Allan’s answer is simple:
“To spend it with him to be honest with you,” he said.
“I might tear up a bit… if there’s a Noble Park person I have a connection with most on field and off it as well it’s probably Zig.
“We’ve experienced a lot across the journey, so to experience this, it’s just a fairy tale, literally, in every sense of the word.”
After playing alongside each other in multiple jumpers across, across multiple decades, Alwan will always look back on what his great mate has achieved with an overwhelming sense of pride.
“He’s amazing,” Alwan said.
“As he said, we’ve been on such a long journey together; I have played probably the most football with Shayne, all in the same position.
“We’ve done a lot of things together, state footy, rep footy, it’s all been together.
“I am so proud of him and what he’s done, he came back to the club with a purpose to get through and we’re premiership players.
“We didn’t think we’d get this opportunity; it’s been 10, 11 years, we’ve both stuck at it and done the job.”
The dynamic duo combined for 53 majors this season, but more importantly, one almighty premiership.
