Premier Cats - full Netball Grand Final wrap up

Neerim South have been crowned A Grade Premiers and Champions of the Ellinbank & District Football Netball League for 2025, defeating Nilma Darnum by 12 goals at Trafalgar on Saturday.

In front of a record crowd and near perfect netball conditions, Neerim never looked in doubt, blasting eight of the first 10 goals within the opening seven minutes. A stunned Nilma Darnum began to shuffle positions in an attempt to find answers, with the surprise move of Melanie Cook into goal attack sparking some momentum for the Bombers. But by quarter time the Cats were well in control, leading 18–8.

Nilma fought to settle into the contest and created passages of play through the midcourt, but Neerim’s relentless pressure and accuracy stretched the lead to 37–23 at half time. Goal attack Kimberley Edwards was unstoppable, piling on 27 goals in the first half alone as the Cats took firm control of the decider.

The Bombers showed grit after the break, with Hayley Purcell and Skye Rees working tirelessly in the circle to keep their side in touch. Their efforts narrowed the gap briefly in the third quarter, but Neerim’s attacking speed and Edwards’ composure under the post kept the scoreboard ticking. The Cats led 50–37 at the final change.

Mia McGarrity was tireless at wing attack, seeing off multiple opponents from Nilma across four quarters and continuing to drive the Cats into attack. With the premiership and champions title on the line, Neerim maintained their intensity in the last term. Nilma pressed hard but couldn’t close the gap as Neerim’s structures and clinical finishing held firm. Edwards finished with a remarkable 48 of her side’s 63 goals, sealing her Best on Court honours.

The final score read Neerim South 63 defeated Nilma Darnum 51, a result that not only secured the premiers-champion crown but also underlined the Cats’ dominance in 2025. After the siren sounded, stalwart captain Kasey Tymkin held the trophy aloft alongside coach Christie Urie, a fitting image to mark their undefeated season.

Lang Lang capped off their unbeaten season in style, defeating Buln Buln 29–18 to claim the 13 & Under premiership and champions title. The youngest teams on court showed some early nerves as they opened Grand Final day, and the play wasn’t as smooth as in past meetings, but it was the Tigers who settled first. Their defensive pressure and quick ball movement helped them to a 5–1 lead at quarter time.

Their dominance grew in the second quarter as Lang Lang outscored the Lyrebirds 11–4 to establish a commanding 16–5 half-time advantage. Buln Buln fought back after the break with improved shooting and pressure across the court, but Lang Lang’s consistency and depth ensured they maintained control, leading 21–12 at three-quarter time.

The Tigers finished the job with a composed final term to run out 29–18 winners. There was a terrific battle in the midcourt between Buln Buln’s league best and fairest, Macy Eastwell, and Lang Lang captain Blake McClimont. McClimont ultimately came out on top, leading from the front with tireless drive through the centre and earning Best on Court honours.

Catani secured the 15 & Under premiership and champions crown with a hard-fought 33–25 win over Poowong. The Blues settled well in the opening term to edge ahead 8–5 at quarter time, before Poowong lifted their intensity in the second quarter. The Magpies’ defensive pressure forced turnovers and kept the scoreboard tight, but Catani held their nerve to take a 17–14 lead into the main break.

The third quarter proved the turning point as Catani’s midcourt began to dominate, moving the ball cleanly and finding their shooters in space. They outscored Poowong 10–5 for the term to build an eight-goal buffer at three-quarter time, 27–19. While Poowong rotated players in search of the right combination, Catani’s stability — making only one change with Sienna Schmidt introduced at wing attack in the first quarter — proved decisive.

The Blues finished strongly in the final quarter to secure a 33–25 victory and cap off their unbeaten season. A highlight of the contest was the fierce battle between Poowong captain Nicola Fort in Goal Attack and Catani’s Goal Defence and Co-Captain Tahlia Morel. In the end, Catani’s other Co-Captain and Centre Miley Warde led the way with composure and drive, earning Best on Court honours.

The 17 & Under Grand Final between Longwarry and Lang Lang lived up to its billing, with the two sides locked in a gripping contest from start to finish. Scores were level at 8–all at quarter time and again at half time, 18 a piece, as neither team gave an inch in a high-pressure battle.

The contest quickly became a battle of the goal shooters, with both sides relying heavily on their spearheads to keep the scoreboard ticking. Lang Lang also looked to flip Makayla Fleiner through the midcourt and into goals to change the dynamic, while Longwarry did the same with Kira Wilson through midcourt and defence as the two matched up well against each other.

Lang Lang gained the upper hand in the third quarter, outscoring Longwarry to lead 30–28 at the final change. For Longwarry, it was the first time in a long time they had found themselves trailing in such a high-stakes contest. The final quarter began with Longwarry scoring the first two goals, only for Lang Lang to reply with two of their own. 

With the game in the balance, and the crowd vocal with every pass, the Crows lifted to another gear, stringing together four unanswered goals before finishing with the last three of the match to run out 39–35 winners to complete an undefeated season and claim the premiers champions crown. While the goal shooters dominated the scoring, it was Hayley Waite’s versatility in both the midcourt and goal attack that proved pivotal, her all-round performance earning Best on Court honours.

Ellinbank added another chapter to their remarkable C Grade history, defeating Trafalgar 50–35 to reclaim the premiership. The Eagles, who had lost the past two C Grade Grand Finals, were determined to make amends, and their fast start reflected that intent. They piled on 14 goals in the opening quarter to lead 14–7 at the first break.

Trafalgar responded in the second quarter, lifting their intensity through the midcourt and converting more of their chances. The Bloods closed the gap to just four goals at half time, 23–19, and threatened to swing momentum their way. But Ellinbank steadied after the break, showing the experience and composure that has made them such a force in this grade.

The Eagles dominated the third term, outscoring Trafalgar 15–6 to build a commanding 13-goal lead. The Eagles also rotated their goalers seamlessly, with Stefanie Backman, Daphne Hodge and Kristi Brinksma all contributing to the scoring load. With their shooters finishing confidently and defensive pressure forcing turnovers, Ellinbank took a stranglehold on the contest and entered the last change 38–25 ahead. 

From there, they never looked back, finishing strongly to secure a 50–35 victory and underline their status as the most consistent club in C Grade over the past decade. Centre Cassandra Charles was a standout, controlling the tempo and driving her team forward, and was rewarded with Best on Court honours.

The B Grade Grand Final between Neerim South and Ellinbank was tipped as the hardest of the day to predict, and it lived up to expectations with a tough, low-scoring contest. The opening minutes set the tone as it took almost six minutes for the first goal of each team to be scored. Neerim then found momentum with a run of seven in a row before Ellinbank responded with three late goals to trail 9–5 at quarter time.

The game remained tight in the second quarter, with both teams struggling to convert opportunities under heavy defensive pressure. Neerim held a narrow 17–15 advantage at half time, but the Eagles began to build confidence, tightening their structures and forcing turnovers to stay within striking distance.

Ellinbank surged in the third term, their defenders lifting to shut down Neerim’s shooters while their attack found more fluency. The Eagles outscored Neerim 11–6 to turn a two-goal deficit into a three-goal lead at the final break, 26–23. Neerim tried a last-ditch move by bringing Emily Robb into wing attack in the final quarter to spark their attack, but Ellinbank’s defence held firm.

From there, Ellinbank controlled the contest, extending their lead and shutting down Neerim’s comeback hopes. The final whistle confirmed a 36–28 victory and another B Grade premiership for the Eagles, a remarkable turnaround after losing to Neerim by 20 goals in the second semi-final. Goal keeper Emma Robertson was outstanding as the last line of defence in Goal Keeper, named Best on Court for her reliable, match-winning performance.