The best two teams of the regular season met with top placed Roma Football Club clear favourites to beat second place getters the Genova Dockers.
Throughout the season both teams combined strength and agility with notable improvement in skills and technical ability and the introduction of tactical solutions and schemes by the coaches that allowed the respective team’s great flowing passages of play.
The Grand Final was an evenly fought match with the two teams going goal for goal until three-quarter time, with Genova just ahead by four points at the final change.
The first five minutes of the final quarter saw the Genova Dockers surprise their opponents and dominate the clearances from the centre to kick four quick goals and open a match-winning 24-point lead.
The Genova Dockers, a team made up solely of local Italian players, were the 2011 AFL Italia premiers!
Both teams were presented with either a premiership or runners-up medallion and the Genova Dockers were presented the 2011 AFL Italia Premiership Trophy by Mr. Paul Givens representing the Australian Embassy and Nicola Giampaolo, the AFL Italia President.
Medals were also presented to Christian Tiranti (Roma) as 2011 leading goal kicker and to Filippo Alloisio (Genova) who won the 2011 Best and Fairest Award.
The focus now turns to the AFL Italia Azzurri National Team as it prepares for the Euro Cup to be held in Belfast on Saturday 8 October. The team hopes to improve on last year’s sixth place.
Final Scores
Genova Dockers 10-13-73 defeated Roma 8-11-59
Goals - Genova
De Giorgi 3, F. Alloisio 2, Barbieri 1 Tiranti 4, Ingardia 2, Marusic 1,
Pagni, T. Arnulfo, D’Agostini Giambarresi 1.
Roma
Tiranti 4, Ingardia 2, Marusic 1, Giambarresi 1.
Best Players
Genova Dockers: De Giorgi, Barbieri, T. Arnulfo, D’Agostini e F. Alloisio
Roma: Tiranti, Martire, Marusic, Ingardia.
