Panton Hill have completed a fairytale inaugural senior women’s campaign, after a come from behind seven-point victory over Heidelberg West to secure the 2024 NFNL Division 3 Women’s premiership at Preston City Oval.
After leading by seven points at the main break, the Hawks piled on three goals to nil in the third term of the Grand Final and looked to have seemingly done enough to hold onto victory with a 13-point three quarter time advantage.
But, with the wind in their backs, the Redbacks would fire home the final three majors of the match and run out 4.4 (28) to 3.3 (21) victors, to take home the club’s first senior premiership at any level since 2019.
Their last quarter charge was led by Bianca Walker who, after working hard all day in midfield, kicked the last two goals of the game to help her side get over the line.
She would end the match with the best on ground medallion for her performance and finish in her side’s best for the eighth consecutive game to cap off a terrific campaign.
Teagan Sheldon, who picked up her second Division 3 flag, was as solid as a rock in defence, and her move into midfield in the last quarter proved to be one of the many match winning plays for Ben Brown’s side.
Captain Jessica Dight, midfielder Bridie Groves and winger Erin Grant were amongst others to star for Panton Hill in their premiership triumph.
For the Hawks, Kiana Horman put in a solid shift in both defence and attack. Particularly in the second quarter, when the Redbacks were pressing, Horman was excellent in the back 50, taking multiple intercept marks or bringing the ball to ground at each contest to allow the smaller defenders around her to rebound.
Molly Reinke was one of those to combine well with Horman in the defensive half, with her run and carry a highlight for the game, while 2024 Team of the Year duo Crystal Grech and Chloe Rowan also fought tooth and nail in defence.
It was a first quarter filled with momentum swings for both sides, but neither were able to find the big sticks during the term.
Heidelberg West used their momentum to gain some territory as they kicked with a slight breeze towards the City End. However, they were unable to create many gettable opportunities and headed into quarter time ahead by just one point.
The second quarter looked to be a similar story initially, with Horman and the Hawks defence standing tall and repelling many attacks from a wind-assisted Panton Hill outfit.
But the Redbacks would break through for the first goal of the Grand Final at the 11-minute mark when Nicole Brown kicked her third goal of the finals series to help her side lead by seven points at half time.
As the breeze started to pick up towards the City End, Heidelberg West were able to lift their intensity and pressure around the football, as they began to gain territory.
This time around, their forays forward were rewarded with goals. Their run of three unanswered majors began with the goal of the day courtesy of Kate O’Neill, who squeezed one through from a tight angle, before Chloe Rowan and Emily O’Keefe also managed to find the big sticks to put the minor premiers in control.
Panton Hill barely saw the ball inside their attacking half during the third term, but despite a 13-point deficit at three quarter time, a strong wing advantage in the final term meant the Redbacks couldn’t be ruled out of the contest.
Ben Brown’s side would burst out the final change and put the pressure right back on the Hawks, with a pair of goals inside the first seven minutes of the last term, reducing the margin to just one-point as a result
After the Redbacks tied things up at the nine-minute mark, not much could separate the two sides as both looked to kick the go-ahead goal.
Bianca Walker would prove to be the player to stand up with minutes remaining, finding enough space in a congested stoppage to get boot to ball, which sailed through for a major and ultimately sealed a famous victory and premiership for the Panton Hill Football Netball Club.
