GFNL, Hampden and VAFA grand final wrap

Check out our review of the action.

GEELONG

St Mary’s has defied the doubters one last time to be crowned Geelong league premiers, upsetting rivals St Joseph’s by 13-points in the Geelong league grand final at GMHBA Stadium.

The Saints took a 14-point lead into the main break and the complexion of the game completely changed when an almighty downpour hit Geelong, the Saints aided by the heavens opening up.

Saints sparkplug Sam Bourke was the hero as he proved unstoppable in the dry and the wet.

The dangerous forward slotted two goals and assisted another before halftime, before breaking Joeys hearts with the first two goals of the third-term to put the Saints 26-points in front – one of those a superb pick-up and snap in one motion.

The game looked dead and buried at that point, but Joeys star James Gow led a gallant fightback as Lewis Antonac goal cut the margin to 20-points at three-quarter-time.

The rain cleared in the last quarter and the Joeys gave the Saints some nerves as back-to-back goals to Luke Webb and Joseph Chaplin cut the margin to eight points.

But every punch the Joeys delivered, the Saints threw one back.

St Mary’s had a well-documented mass exodus over the off-season, but it was one of their recruits Bailey Cockerill who goaled from close range to give the Saints some breathing space.

With the fresh legs after winning through to the grand final, St Joseph’s gave everything until the final siren but the Saints ran out winners 10.8 (68) to 7.11 (53).

The Saints defence was impenetrable, just it had been at West Oval across three do-or-die finals.

That rock-solid backline was led by Ryan Pendlebury, the younger brother of Collingwood champion Scott.

We are used to seeing Pendlebury stand up in September, and Ryan Pendlebury lived up his brother’s reputation on Saturday.

The 33-year-old stood tall defensively, mopping up and repelling St Joseph’s entries and hit targets with his sizzling left boot in the first half.

As the rain teamed down in the second half, he played the percentages and had some important interventions.

Sam Bourke’s brother Hamish capped a team of the year breakout season with another big scalp as he kept dangerous spearhead Paddy De Grandi to one goal, while Keidan Rayner kept goalsneak Hunter Lewis quiet.

Rayner took home the Frank Fopiani medal as the best player on the ground.

HAMPDEN

North Warrnambool has ended its run of heartbreak to secure the 2025 premiership in an impressive performance against Koroit.

The Eagles ran out 13.12 (90) to 7.5 (47) winners at Reid Oval after holding Koroit to just three goals after quarter-time.

North didn’t hit the front until late in the second term and then booted the first four goals of the second half.

Charlie McKinnon, who was the Coates Talent League’s leading goalkicker this season, was a force up forward and booted four goals to complete what had been a fine season.

Ex-AFL midfielder Michael Barlow was impressive, in particular with his ability to link the play in the middle of the ground. North coach Nathan Vardy had moments in the ruck as well.

Eagles skipper Jackson Grundy kicked the sealer midway through the last quarter to put his side up by almost 30 points.

Koroit coach in waiting Sam Dobson was dangerous early, but rolled his ankle at start of second quarter and really battled from then on.

VAFA

Old Brighton are premiers of the Victorian Amateur Football Association’s top grade for the first time.

Marcel Bruin’s Tonners claimed a 10.17 (77) to 7.10 (52) win over Old Scotch in Friday’s Premier Men’s grand final to create a significant piece of club history.

In a rematch of the 2024 decider, the Tonners overturned last year’s result on the back of a dominant defensive display in the first half where they held the Cardinals to just one goal, which was the game’s opener.

The Cardinals found their backs against the wall in the first term when they lost Angus Symons and Oli Badr, both to hamstring injuries, leaving them with two on the bench for the rest of the game.

Just five days after winning the VFL premiership with Footscray, Tonners gun forward Will Lewis broke the game open in the second term with three goals alongside one from Jonah Campigli gave their side a 22-point lead at the main break.

Old Scotch would have disappointed with how the third term played out after dominating play. The Cardinals booted just two goals before conceding two late ones to Angus Edgar and Tom Fisher which actually saw the Tonners’ lead stretch to 23 points.

Hamish Dick kicked the first of the last for Old Brighton and extended the lead to 29 points and it appeared all but over before Tom Farrer kicked two goals to give Scotch a sniff.

But Dick’s second and Lewis’ fourth of the day meant it was time to celebrate for the Tonners.

“Definitely the best week I’ve had in football,” Lewis said post-game on the KommunityTV broadcast.

Then in perhaps the most fitting moment of the day, Jamie Hope kicked the game’s last goal directly on the goal line and celebrated with the Old Brighton faithful.

Lewis was awarded the Jock Nelson Medal after being named the best player on the ground.

Originally published as GFNL, Hampden and VAFA grand final wrap