First there were cheers. Then tears. Then confusion. The only problem after winning your first game in 1106 days is that most people have forgotten the words to the team victory song. Luckily for Easts officials had printed cheat sheets to start the party.
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The oldest team in the John I Dent Cup ended a three-year losing streak when they beat the Uni-Norths Owls 22-20 at Griffith Oval on Saturday, sparking wild celebrations for a club that has been on its knees for so long.
It was the perfect way to start a historic 80th season. Fans, old boys and officials ran on to the field when the game finished, some breaking down in tears before belting out a muffled and out of sync celebration song in the packed change rooms.
But if ever there was a time to forgive the players for not knowing the words, this was it. It was the first time Easts had won a game since March 28, 2015 and that's why a heart-stopper against the Owls was so sweet.
"What an unreal feeling. This means so much to this club," said new coach Tim Cornforth.
"Look over there. There are old boys in tears. Even our players are in tears. Guys who are new to this club, coaches that are new ... we know what this win means."
The Canberra rugby premier division enjoyed a brilliant day to open their season. Defending champions Royals scored a one-point win over the Tuggeranong Vikings and Queanbeyan beat Gungahlin 39-38 in another thriller.
But it was Easts who tugged on the heartstrings of everyone in the club rugby community when the only foundation team left in the John I Dent Cup won its season opener. In doing so, they also won the Owen Brown Cup and are the inaugural holders of the Bob Hitchcock Territory challenge shield.
The past three years have been brutal at Easts. They've lost 40 games in a row, conceded 2087 points and almost collapsed as a club as financial and performance pressure took its toll.
So imagine being tasked with kicking the winning conversion for the first win of your individual first-grade career and the first for a club that desperately craved victory.
Flyhalf Jacob Angelatos had missed every kick in the game when he stepped up for a conversion attempt with five minutes left and the scores locked at 20-20 after George Morseu ran 45 metres to give Easts hope.
Angelatos has been playing for Easts for four years. He made his first grade debut in 2015 and has never tasted victory.
"I was shitting myself," Angelatos grinned.
"They just weren't going over earlier, I'm lucky George ran it under the posts. He did me a bit of a favour there.
"It's only round one, but it's been a tough three years so to get that one off our backs is huge. We can just focus on other things for the rest of the year."
Angelatos slotted it from in front, and in doing so helped Easts become the first holders of the inaugural Bob Hitchcock Territory Shield, which has been introduced to the competition this year.
Hitchcock, a Canberra rugby legend, has been suffering ill health in recent years but was on the sideline to present the shield to Easts, sparking wild celebrations for the club.
Mees Erasmus and Ratu Macanawai scored first-half tries for Easts to give them a 10-6 half-time lead. But Jordan Thompson's boot and tries to Phil Ferrara and Tamera Hikaru set the stage for Owls to inflict another painful loss on their rivals.
Cornforth is trying to build a new belief and confidence in his rookie season as a first-grade coach. And instead of wilting like they had done in previous games, Easts dug in and found a way to win.
Peni Nifo scored a brilliant individual try and then Morseu broke away to score the try to give Angelatos a shot to win the game.
"I talked about the process that we've been working for. I tip my hat to everyone behind the scenes," Cornforth said.
"The atmosphere here was unbelievable. The shield is amazing, it makes every game a final. Some of these guys have never won a game ... we've got the song printed out, so we're fine."
John I Dent Cup: EASTS 22 (R Macanawai, M Erasmus, P Nifo, G Morseu tries; J Angelatos conversion) bt UNI NORTHS OWLS 20 (P Ferrara, T Hikaru tries; J Thompson 2 penalties); ROYALS 32 bt TUGGERANONG VIKINGS 31, QUEANBEYAN WHITES 39 bt GUNGAHLIN EAGLES 38.
Women: Uni-Norths Owls 31 bt ADFA 7.
Second grade: Uni-Norths Owls 26 bt Easts 7, Tuggeranong Vikings 53 bt Royals 26, Queanbeyan Whites 26 bt Gungahlin Eagles 22.
Colts: Uni-Norths Owls 24 bt Easts 17, Tuggeranong Vikings 49 bt Royals 19, Queanbeyan Whites 12 bt Gungahlin Eagles 10.
FIRST DIVISION
First grade: Easts/RMC 14 drew with Uni-Norths Owls 14, Royals 19 bt Tuggeranong Vikings 12, Queanbeyan Whites 44 bt Gungahlin Eagles 17, Cooma 32 bt Young 27, ADFA 43 bt Wests 10, Hall 33 bt Goulburn 21.
Second grade: Royals 21 bt Tuggeranong Vikings 14, Queanbeyan Whites 25 bt Gungahlin Eagles 21, ADFA 37 bt Wests 33, Hall 15 bt Goulburn 14.
