THE Sawtell/Toormina Saints Under 18s have gone back to back, successfully defending their AFL North Coast premiership with an 11.6 (72) to 6.7 (43) win against Northern Beaches/Nambucca Valley at the C.ex Coffs International Stadium.

The Saints led by eleven points at both quarter and half-time, before making their move in the premiership quarter to lead by 33 points at the final break.

Saints player Charlie Martin was awarded the Nathan Harris Medal for best on ground.

Saints captain Chad Anderson said being switched on from the start was the key to victory.

“Just the first five minutes, the intensity, we came out just to lay hard tackles and get around the boys,” he said.

“We were undefeated through the start of the season, then we lost a couple at the end of the season, and we just knew we had to come out firing for the finals.

“We were a bit of the underdogs because they were minor premiers, but we came out hard and scared them off a bit.

“Just having a strong group together, a brotherhood and a bond, and a winning culture definitely gets you a long way.”

The premiership-winning captain said the victory meant a lot to the club.

“Especially having both our teams [us and the women] who were in the grand finals [and] both winning it, it means a lot.

“And you can tell by all the supporters being here and getting around it, it means so much to us.”

By Aiden BURGESS