09/10/2026
🏆 2011 MPNFL CASEY CARDINIA GRAND FINAL
🦅 CRANBOURNE EAGLES v NARRE WARREN MAGPIES
📅 Saturday, 24 September 2011
📍 Edwin Flack Reserve, Berwick
FINAL SCORES
🦅 Cranbourne 15.6 (96)
⚫ Narre Warren 10.15 (75)
🏆 CRANBOURNE PREMIERS BY 21 POINTS!
THE 2011 SEASON
After 16 long years without a senior premiership, Cranbourne completed one of the greatest seasons in the club's history.
Under senior coach Doug Koop, the Eagles went through the home-and-away season undefeated, winning all 16 matches and establishing themselves as the competition's benchmark.
But the road to 2011 was anything but easy.
For those who weren't around during those 16 years, it's hard to explain just how tough things got at Cranbourne. Following the glory days of the 90s, the club endured some incredibly lean seasons. Coaches like Leigh Capsalis, Mick Fogarty and Nick Cox all tried to bring success back, while even club legends Darryl Nisbet and Chris Garrett couldn't quite find that elusive next flag.
Then came Darren Martello and Brett McMaster, two proud Cranbourne men who took on the difficult job of rebuilding. They backed the youth, endured some enormous defeats, including beltings from Narre Warren approaching 40 goals, and helped lay the foundations for the next generation. (who could forget the 30 sandhills and 180 stables!! 🤢🤢🤢🤢
There weren't many wins to celebrate in those years, but there were plenty of people who refused to give up on the club.
When Doug Koop arrived, he brought a new mentality, culture and game plan, turning those foundations into a genuine premiership contender.
And that's what made 2011 so special. It wasn't just about an undefeated season. It was the reward for years of hard work, loyalty and belief from people who had stuck by the Eagles when times were at their toughest.
Boasting a powerful, fast and highly skilled side across every line, Cranbourne entered September determined to erase the disappointment of its straight-sets finals exit in 2010.
Standing in the way was old rival Narre Warren, who had dominated the competition throughout the previous decade.
Cranbourne controlled much of the Grand Final, but a determined Narre Warren outfit mounted a spirited second-half comeback to put the Eagles under enormous pressure.
When the game was there to be won, Curtis Barker, Justin Berry and the King, Marc Holt, stood tall, producing the big moments that carried Cranbourne to a thoroughly deserved premiership.
A famous 21-point victory ended 16 years of waiting and capped off a remarkable undefeated season.
🏆 18 GAMES. 18 WINS. ONE DESERVED PREMIERSHIP.
Relive the full 2011 Grand Final and one of the proudest days in Cranbourne Football Club history.
💛💙 ONCE AN EAGLE, ALWAYS AN EAGLE.
🏆 **2011 MPNFL CASEY CARDINIA GRAND FINAL****CRANBOURNE EAGLES v N...
