“We’ve had four losses in a row, so it was good to get back on the winning board,” coach Dick Gleeson said. Peter Dunlop, Sam Kimmince and Tom Mcgregor were the stand out players of the match.

Dunlop hit his stride just in time after a broken foot interrupted his season, and had what Gleeson considered his best game so far.

“Sam’s been probably our best player,” Gleeson said of the Saints captain, noting that Kimmince’s presence was missed when he took a week off. Gleeson said Kimmince had stepped up to the captain role and was one of Inverell’s most important players.

New to AFL, Gleeson said Mcgregor had his best game of the season on Saturday.

“He’s played rugby union nearly all his life. This is about his sixth game of AFL and he’s really starting to learn his game.”

The Saints are now gearing up for a battle against the Gunnedah Bulldogs, and have something to prove after a five point loss to the Bulldogs earlier in the season.

“It’s cutthroat now. The losers finish for the year and the winners play Tamworth or Armidale.” Gleeson expects a close game, and said with the teams fairly evenly matched, “it’ll come down to the day”.

“It’ll be a 50/50. We’re both about the same.”

Gleeson said overall, numbers had been strong this season, with many young players starting out in the sport. 

“Our youth’s probably our strength,” he said. He said the challenge would be seeing if the team could handle the pressure of finals football after a long season. The Saints are also looking to work on their conversions.

“It’ll be a top day, nothing in it,” Gleeson said.

The Saints had another win on Saturday night, with Inverell’s Luke Selig given the runner up best and fairest medal count at the Tamworth AFL Tony Gillies Medal Count and Presentation Awards in Gunnedah. Selig’s vote count was particularly impressive after missing six games throughout the season.

“Luke plays in the centre and he's a standout performer,” Gleeson said.

“His ability to win the ball would have made him stand out.”