The one and only time the Vagabonds had made a final was also against the same opposition, The Moorabbin Rams, who were looking to get back to winning ways after losing the 2014 final by two points.
From the kick off the bigger Rams forwards smashed the ball up field to try and break down the Vagabonds defence, but the home side resisted with some awesome defence and put pressure on the Rams with their swift counter attacking rugby which produced the only score of the first half when Wihan Adlam forced his way over for a try which captain Darryn Mathee converted for the Vagabonds to take a 7-0 lead into half time.
The second half started in much the same way with ferocious hits and brutal tackles giving neither side the advantage. Then from turn over ball the Vagabonds launched an attack which saw the ball kicked down field which Francois de Kock gathered before side stepping two defenders to score under the posts. Mathee once again converted the kick to give the Vagabonds a 14-0 lead with 7 minutes to go.
A big turning point in the game came when a Vagabonds player was sin binned after a high tackle, and the Rams, sensing their chance, sent wave after wave of attacks against the Vagabonds line.
This eventually broke the home side down and the Rams scored two tries in the next two minutes. However, one of the conversions was crucially missed and this would prove decisive as the Vagabonds, back to full strength, held out for the final four minutes to create history and become champions for the first time with a 14-12 victory.
In the Athena Siam Coffin Dodgers Vets Tournament, where ageing players can still pretend they have the speed, skills and agility that they once possessed in the flower of youth, and indeed some of the play was reminiscent of a bygone era where speed and agility were swapped for brute strength and experience.
The group games sorted out which team would play in which of the trophy knockouts. In Group A, one of the favourites Cottesloe Pirates were expected to go all the way but slipped up in the semi final of the cup going down 14-5 against the Nerang Bulls in an all Australian affair.
In the other semi final the Moorabbin Rams beat the Phuket Viagrabonds 22-0 to set up another Australian derby in the Cup Final.
The Cup Final was taken by regular winners of the tournament The Moorabbin Rams who beat the tough Nerang Bulls 24-5.