Former Adelaide Crows player Jared Petrenko has produced a remarkable final quarter performance to help Port Douglas claim a thrilling AFL Cairns premiership.
The 36-year-old turned back the clock with a best-on-ground display as the Crocs defeated the South Cairns Cutters by five points in a dramatic grand final at Cazalys Stadium on Saturday night.
Port Douglas led narrowly for much of the contest before being pushed to the final seconds, eventually securing a 12.8 (80) to 11.9 (75) victory in front of a large and vocal crowd.
Petrenko was instrumental in the closing stages, using his experience to produce several important plays as the match hung in the balance.
His influence was particularly evident during the final 10 minutes, when he helped keep the Crocs in the contest before taking a crucial mark and delivering the kick which led to teammate Shay Linke's match-winning goal.
It capped a memorable performance from the former AFL footballer, who finished with a game-high 28 disposals at 82 per cent efficiency.
He also kicked a goal and took several contested marks to earn best afield honours.
Speaking to the Cairns Post following the victory, Petrenko admitted he was unsure whether he would return for another season.
"It's just an amazing feeling," Petrenko said.
"I'm turning 37 shortly, I don't know if I'm going around again, but it's just amazing."
The premiership adds another chapter to Petrenko's football career, which included 76 AFL appearances and 50 goals for Adelaide between 2008 and 2014.
Since arriving at Port Douglas ahead of the 2023 season he has become an important figure at the club, including spending time as its senior coach.
Despite being in the latter stages of his playing career, Petrenko has continued to make an impact on the field with his skill and leadership.
He played 10 matches during the 2026 season and was named among the Crocs' best players on four occasions before producing his standout performance on grand final day.
The victory was particularly satisfying for Port Douglas following a series of closely contested matches against the Cutters in the lead-up to the premiership decider.
Petrenko praised the opposition for their efforts and said his teammates had been forced to earn the result.
"The Cutters have been a great contest every time we've played them," he said.
"It makes it just so much sweeter for us, because we had to really, really work for it and obviously go down to the last minute of the season.
"I thought we had them for fitness, but they just kept coming, they made it really tough for us.
"I'm so proud of our boys, they just didn't give in - we never do that here."
