That was the day the Waratahs, as the local Aussie Rules team was then known, became the first non-ACT team to win the Canberra National Football League premiership.

Described the the Goulburn Evening Penny Post as a "glorious" success, the team's 60-36 victory over Manuka came in the first year of Goulburn's participation in the competition.

"To have won a premiership at their first attempt was no mean effort," the Post wrote.

"The code was started by a small band of enthusiasts last year, and several practise matches paved the way for this season's achievements."

Interestingly, the paper noted that few home matches were played in Goulburn, but it then added that "this is sure to be one of the first matters to be rectified next year now that Goulburn's team has proved its class."

Even more impressively, the match was played at Manuka's home ground - the now-renowned Manuka Oval in Canberra - where both teams were cheered onto the field before receiving an address from Prime Minister Joseph Lyons.

"Mr Lyons said he was greatly pleased to see a New South Wales team taking part in the Grand Final, and it was his devout hope that they would prove successful," the Post said.

"He said that a victory for the Goulburn men would do untold good for the game and spread its influence outside the Territory."

In sport, as with most things, confidence is key. And so it began on that day in Canberra, as Manuka went on the offensive from the first bounce.

After opening the scoring with a behind, Manuka got on a roll and quickly led 2.2.14 to 0.1.1.

"Goulburn was making the mistake at this period of punting high at every opportunity, the Manuka men showing a decided liking for the high work entailed," the Post wrote.

Worthy of particular praise early on were Manuka's backs, who played "superbly".

After a couple of further behinds to Goulburn, the first quarter ended with the score at 2.2.14 to 0.3.3 in favour of the home side.

At the first break, Goulburn evidently decided to play with more authority, and the Post noted the Waratahs' "forceful tactics" led to a goal early in the second quarter.

Goulburn then got on a roll of sorts, with a number of behinds in quick succession. This spurred Manuka to respond, but a possible score was snuffed out by some brilliant work from Les Smith, who ran the ball out of trouble.

A second goal to Charlie Lynch, a former rugby player, leveled the scores at 20 apiece.

This appears to have broken the back of Manuka's defence, and the Waratahs ran to a 21-point lead at half time, 5.11.41 to 3.2.20.

In the third quarter, Goulburn stacked its backline and held Manuka at bay, which resulted in three more points to the home side at three quarter time.

The fourth quarter which followed, the Post said, was "a fitting finale to a grand game".

"Both teams gave of their best and it could not be said that any one man was any better or any worse than any other."

After a brilliant goal to A. Charles - "the best of the game and fully deserved the acclamation it received" - Goulburn kicked a string of behinds, each of which were echoed by the crowd's groans.

This gave Manuka some heart to launch a "dangerous attack", which resulted in two further goals. However, it was too little, too late for the home side, who soon fell to a 7.18.60 to 5.6.36 defeat.

"Goulburn's effort to lift the pennant was a glorious success and too much praise could not be bestowed on the members of the team for the way in which they rose to the occasion," the Post wrote.

"Brilliant play was a feature of the exhibitions given by both Goulburn and Manuka players, and the game would have proved a fitting finals to any city's competition."

Following their victory, the Waratahs were congratulated by the captains of all of the teams in the competition, a "pleasing feature" to end a grand campaign.

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