The previous two years saw the reunion called off as a result of COVID interruptions. I have made a documentary based on the success of the club in 2000 and how they achieved it, starring a host of ex-players such as Damien Houlihan, Carl Dickins, Beau Longmire and Craig Tafft talking about their desire to win and the support they received throughout the whole town.
When Corowa Rutherglen called Peter Tossol to coach it had been 20 years since the merge with Rutherglen, only losing in one grand final in 1992 to a strong Wodonga Bulldogs side.
Eight years on Corowa went on a recruiting surge to build up their player stocks to try to achieve their first Grand Final win. As Damien Houlihan recalled, “it was midway 1999, Peter Tossol and Dad (Brian Houlihan) called to say that Corowa were assembling something good”.
Houlihan had just come off a successful East Burwood Rams side that had won the flag but he was wanting to win a premiership with his local side.
As Peter Tossol embarked on his first major coaching role with a young and experienced Corowa side, the emergence of the Murray Kangaroos system made it possible for Tossol and the recruiting team Brian Houlihan, Rod Campbell and Damien Houlihan to knuckle down and secure some quality players including David Teague and Luke Henderson from Katandra, west of Shepparton.
Teague, the pick of the two, went on to get drafted in the 2001 national draft. Other players such as big man David Lucas, were a very handy inclusion to the squad, the 203cm ruckman was very versatile ruck or could go forward and boot goals.
The long-awaited premiership that had eluded them, for 32 years, was finally starting to take shape that season with not just small wins but large margins in the score line, with Lucas, Houlihan, Henderson and Thomson putting opposition defenders to the sword each week with their lethal kicking ability.
Corowa went to the interleague bye round with even reps in the O&M squad, were undefeated until eventually going down to Albury by 8 points at Albury in round 8, their only season loss. They didn’t look back carving out 10 straight home and away season wins. The much hyped ‘rumble on the river’ between rivals Corowa and Yarrawonga blew out to a 100 point thrashing as Corowa took a commanding position at the top of the ladder.
Finals came around quickly enough for the high-flying Roos as they took on Albury who were the equal ladder leaders, both teams going into finals at 17-1. The Roos was quicker and ran Albury off their feet getting to their second grand final and trying to capture that prize. The opposing side North Albury came through the finals series the hard way scratching their way to a possible chance to go back-to-back flags after their 1999 premiership win versus cross town rivals Albury. However, Corowa Rutherglen were red hot and took it to the Hoppers. Despite Nth Albury kicking the first major through Adam Williams, Corowa began its onslaught and as defender Craig Tafft said “it just kept going and going… I didn’t have to do much” as the Houlihan show blasted into record books bagging a league record 10 majors (a record still to this day) and a best-on-ground performance. The Roos came home with a team effort and another record in the highest winning margin for a grand-final of 108 points, that stretched to 126 at one stage and ultimately were too good for the Hoppers.
Everyone is invited to come this Saturday, 11th of June at John Foord Oval for the reunion after the seniors game to be amongst football folklaw and meet and greet some of Roos’ greatest players, and for the premiering of my first documentary ‘The Road to Success’ that will be played post the awards on Saturday.
