Underdogs Cable Beach continued their excellent finals form and beat Beagle Bay to win the 1996 CRA premiership. Three goals by John Wright, Russell Gregory and Terry Cox from Beagle Bay late in the fourth quarter wasn't enough to steal the game and Cable Beach ran out winners by 18 points.

After a torrid three quarters with touches of brilliance from both sides, Cable Beach kicked the first four goals to set up an impressive lead of five goals. The first quarter was tough football with highlights including Lindsay Dean's overhead mark and Russell Gregory's strong marking in defence.

Neither side could get the jump they needed on their opposition and the six-point margin to Cable Beach a quarter time meant little. After Stephen Cox kicked the ball through the posts onto the airport tarmac to give Cable Beach a two-goal lead in the opening minutes of the second quarter, Beagle Bay ignited into action.

They combined brilliantly from the centre and with Terry Cox and Aaron Dick running riot, Beagle Bay kicked four unanswered goals to give them an 11 point lead at half time. After two points in the opening of the third quarter to Marcus Dolby and Sean Hill, Cable Beach finally kicked a goal to reduce the margin to 5 points.

There was drama when young Nathan Crossen from the Cable Beach limped off the oval with a bleeding cut to the eye. Before Cable Beach was reorganised, Terry Cox marked and goaled and margin was back to eight points. Although Beagle Bay continued to run the ball into their forward line in that quarter, they failed to convert and Cable Beach kicked a handy 9 point lead by three quarter time. Marty Shephard put in a best on ground performance for Cable Beach with his tenacity at the ball. Michael Albert was rock-solid at full back and Lindsay Dean kicked the goals that needed to be kicked. Beagle Bay was well served by Russell Gregory, Terry and Matthew Cox.

(Courtesy of the Broome Advertiser)