All four Kyabram district clubs represented in grand finals

It is the first time Girgarre has been represented in an A-grade grand final.

Stanhope’s unexpected win in the reserve grade football game against Lancaster on Saturday has earned it a place on the program, alongside the Lions’ C-grade and 17 & Under netball teams.

For the first time in three years Lancaster will have no football representation at Mooroopna Recreation Reserve on grand final day.

Lancaster has only one team involved in grand final day this season, the A-grade netball team which has been the league’s big improver in 2024, while Merrigum also has the one team (its 17 & Under netball team) involved in the grand final event.

The Wombats will enter grand final day as favourite to claim their first A-grade netball premiership in a decade, but Girgarre was competitive for half of the qualifying semi-final between the teams.

Girgarre stole top spot from the Wombats after Lancaster lost two games late in the season, including a final round loss to Shepparton East. Both teams finished with 14 wins and two losses for the year.

They have been guided to this point by Hollie Nelson and Abbey Butler, while the rise of Lancaster has been in the capable hands of former star player Michelle Hill.

Lancaster won the first final between the teams by 11 goals, having beaten the Kangaroos by 24 goals in their only home and away meeting.

– Stanhope’s C-grade team will be favourite to repeat its 2023 grand final win, which was a one-goal thriller against Tallygaroopna.

After finishing on top of the ladder the team took the short route to the grand final by taking a 15-goal win against Shepparton East in the qualifying final.

Shepparton East finished the season on top of the ladder, with just one loss and did beat the Lions in their round eight game by three goals.

The Lions’ grand final opponent, Murchison-Toolamba, has won three finals to earn its grand final spot and will have plenty of confidence coming into the grand final.

Stanhope has beaten the Grasshoppers twice this year, by 14 and four-goal margins.

Hayley Trevena was outstanding in the qualifying final, shooting 36 goals and had support by a miserly first half defensive display from Bianca Atley and Stephanie Said.

Captain Kara Canny will be hoping that she can continue the wonderful run her family has had during the finals series. Her three brothers, Josh, Matthew and Brad , are all involved in the reserves grand final.

Canny is a former league medallist and alongside Amanda Gledhill makes up a strong mid-court.

– A 10-4 home and away win/loss return hasn’t impacted Girgarre’s prominent role in the C Reserve finals.

After finishing fifth the team has beaten Murchison-Toolamba (fourth), Merrigum (sixth) and finally Shepparton East (top) to win a spot in the final against Tallygaroopna.

They will again be the underdog, having lost by seven goals in round one and by 21 goals in round 15.

The team’s two-goal win at the weekend saw it use its entire 12-strong squad, with goal shooter Giulia Pulsoni leading the way and coach Stacey Fletcher continuing to build on her impressive career resume.

Fletcher has a daughter, Cassidy, playing in the 13 & Under grand final.

– Merrigum’s top of the ladder 17 & Under team has played only one game in a month after it had a round 16 bye and has required just one final to win through to the grand final.

It will face neighbouring club Stanhope in the grand final after the Lions beat Shepparton East by six goals in the preliminary.

Merrigum beat Shepparton East by six goals in the qualifying final and has spent a couple of weeks watching on as Stanhope (which finished fourth on the ladder) has progressed by beating Tallygaroopna, third-ranked Rushworth and second-placed Shepparton East.

When the teams met in round 12 this year Merrigum won the match by five goals.

Hollie Saywell was the star of a dominant first half in the qualifying final, shooting 16 goals and finishing with 27 for the game.

She and Grace Ryan-Roberts will be up against Stanhope defenders Ava Turner and Sophie Joyce.

Merrigum will be led into the game by captain Isobella Spedding, who will be playing on a wing. Stanhope has co-captains who will both play in the mid-court, Tia Harrison and Charlotte Grealy.

Neither team was involved in the grand final at 17 & Under level last season, but Stanhope did play off in the 15 & Under grand final.

– Girgarre will be out for revenge in the 13 & Under competition after second-ranked Tallygaroopna beat it in the qualifying final two weeks ago.

Both teams lost only one game during the home and away season and a much tighter game is expected than last season’s 41-5 grand final win by Girgarre - against Nagambie.

In their first meeting, in round one, Girgarre won by seven goals and then in round 15 it was a seven-goal win for Tally. Tally won the qualifying final by two goals.

There is an abundance of Kangaroo history in the Girgarre under-13 team, with Gemma Tomasini a third generation player at the club.

Her grandfather Phil is a two-time senior football premiership player (1983 and 1991), while her father Simon has played more than 300 games.

His daughter has an opportunity to go one up on her father this weekend.

Lilly Camin and Daisy Woodcock also have strong family connections on grand final day after their team beat Nagambie in last weekend’s preliminary final.