27/08/2026
🎯 FROM UNDERDOGS TO CHAMPIONS! 🦁🏆
By DCP Photos
What was touted as a quiet midweek darts grand final turned into something resembling a scene from Gladiator — every dart carrying the weight of a championship!
The Kingborough Bowls Club was packed for the Channel Darts Association Grand Final, with newcomers Huonville Lions taking on clear favourites Cygnet Hotel.
And if that matchup sounded familiar, it was! Just like last year’s SFL Grand Final, the Lions entered as underdogs against Cygnet. and we all know how that one ended… and once again, the Lions proved that on the day, anything can happen when it’s team against team, mind against mind — and pressure against pressure!
The format was simple: doubles first, followed by singles. First team to 8 wins the premiership.
The Lions had plenty of support behind them, with a busload of players, officials and supporters from the Huonville Lions Football Club packing the venue and making their voices heard, but it didn’t start well for Huonville.
Cygnet raced to a 2–0 lead after wins over Brad & David Jackman and Tom Jackman & Mick Paul. But the Lions weren’t going anywhere.
Nick Boulton & Craig Jackman, Robbie Walker & Dan Job, and the Walker brothers Mitch & Connar all found their range to turn the doubles around.
Suddenly, Huonville led 3–2 heading into the singles.
Cygnet then showed exactly why they were favourites, winning the next three singles to move 5–3 ahead.
Nick Boulton hit back with a quality 70 finish to make it 5–4, but Cygnet responded with wins to Reg Cowen and Alec Jones, stretching their lead to 7–4.
Alec even threw a perfect 180 along the way. Cygnet were firing — and just one win from the title. Some supporters began slipping away, the car park slowly emptied and it looked like the dream was over.
But… THE LIONS WOULD NOT DIE! 🦁
Tom Jackman won the next singles.
Mick Paul followed with another win, producing some outstanding scoring.
Suddenly it was 7–6.
Beers were refilled. The crowd gathered around.
Craig Jackman stepped up and somehow completed the comeback, securing another Lions victory and tying the Grand Final at 7–7.
One match.
One player.
One premiership.
Enter Dan “Jobby” Job.
Against Peter Watson.
The room was a pressure cooker.
But Jobby remained cool, composed and clinical, throwing some fantastic darts before eventually landing the winning combination that sealed an INCREDIBLE PREMIERSHIP FOR HUONVILLE LIONS IN THEIR MAIDEN SEASON! 🦁🎯🏆
From 7–4 down to 8–7 champions.
What a comeback. What a grand final. What a way to finish the Channel Darts Association season!
👏 Congratulations to the Huonville Lions and commiserations to a fantastic Cygnet Hotel side who pushed them all the way.
A huge thank you also to Channel Darts Association President Michael McGinness (“Tiger”), Secretary Stuart Carr, all the players, officials, supporters and the Kingborough Bowls Club for the memorable night.
The seven-team association also includes teams from Kingborough Bowls Club, Southern Darts (Franklin), Longley Hotel and Channel Darts Club.
🎯🦁 HUONVILLE LIONS — CHANNEL DARTS ASSOCIATION PREMIERS 2026! 🏆
