South Morang are premiers of the NFNL Division 2 Reserves competition, withstanding a late Diamond Creek comeback to prevail by five points at Preston City Oval.
The Lions battled grueling conditions to keep the Creekers to just one goal until the seventh minute of the final term, before Diamond Creek piled on three of the last four majors to get within a goal of the lead.
The ball ricocheted from both sides of the grounds throughout time-on, but in trying scoring conditions, South Morang remained steadfast in defence, claiming a 5.6 (36) to 4.7 (31) victory.
Cayden Failla received the best on ground medal for his relentless workrate, often finding himself as the key transition player in the Lions exciting ball movement.
Alongside him, Demetrios Constantinou excelled in midfield, courageously winning the hard ball in a mud-soaked centre square.
Kyle Wheatley and Ben Peterson were the dominant scoring threats for the Lions, each kicking two majors in the low-scoring affair.
For the Creekers, their best passages were often led by the fast-paced Tarwan Rennie, while Charlie Whalley toughed it out in the contested slog.
Clean chances were fleeting for both sides, with the opening quarter immediately descending into an arm-wrestle amidst a relentless downpour.
Jarrod Woods and Ben Peterson competed hard in the ruck, but neither side could manage any fluent play from their clearances and that elusive opening goal of the Grand Final stayed at large.
At the 19-minute mark, a fantastic spearing pass from Nicholas Poursanidis into the leading arms of Kyle Wheatley was exactly what the Lions fans were waiting upon.
Seconds before the quarter-time siren, Wheatley seized his moment to slot a 40-metre set-shot and take his side into the first huddle with an eight-point margin.
With the wind on their backs, Diamond Creek reclaimed dominance of the contest, but their inability to find the big sticks continued.
While keeping the Lions to a single point for the quarter, the Creekers failed to capitalise, only managing five behinds from a flurry of forward pressure.
Remarkably, the Lions finished the term in front by four-points, with both teams scores still in the single-digits at the main break.
A raucous cheer broke out across Preston City Oval as Tarwin Rennie claimed his side’s first major of the afternoon, steaming into goal from 30-metres to send the men in navy blue and red into the lead for the first time in the third term.
But the rest of the script would be written by the Lions, as they looked to pounce ahead in the premiership quarter.
Riley Hopkins and Bailey Clarke lifted their efforts through the centre of the ground, and soon the Lions would break their goalscoring hiatus.
Set shots from Wheatley and Peterson stood true, and the Lions would claim another to secure a jubilant three goal to one term.
As the siren sounded for the final break, the Lions lead of 1 -points stood tall as the largest of the match.
In treacherous rainy conditions, a monumental effort would be needed from Diamond Creek to salvage their near flawless 2024 campaign, but they charged out the gates determined to do the heavy lifting.
Jack Prosser slotted home an effort from 15-metres, before South Morang’s Ben Peterson launched a goal off a contested mark in response, but the Creekers would continue their charge.
They would follow with two dramatic goals, including a great highlight, where Bryce East snapped in traffic to send the margin to five points.
The crowd then watched with bated breath as the ball transitioned back and forth, tempting game-winning moments for either side.
However, only minor scores sailed through in time-on, as Diamond Creek fell agonisingly short of a late comeback.
As the final siren boomed over Preston City Oval, the Lions’ faithful surged onto the field, kickstarting the first of many celebrations on the best day in South Morang’s history.
