Five teams now head into finals to determine who will claim the 2026 Heidelberg Golf Club Division 1 title.
St Mary’s claimed the minor premiership and will watch on in the first week after a six-point win over Eltham in a high-quality clash between the top two sides.
Eltham had the better of the first term, kicking three goals to the Burra’s one to open up an 11-point lead at the first break. But the visiting side hit back in the second to close the gap to just four points at the main break.
The second half was back and forth and there was less than a kick in it at the final change. Although they missed plenty of chances in the final term with 1.5, St Mary’s did enough to hang on and secure the victory 6.12-48 to 6.6-42.
The star players for both sides showed out with Kiara Delia, Mikayla Plunkett, Megan Girolami and Emmison Zealley all in the best players for St Mary’s with Girolami’s four goals proved pivotal for her side.
Eltham’s Mary Robinson, Michaele Molenberg, Molly Bell and Abbey Vaughan were given accolades from the Panthers’ coaching staff. Molenberg booting three goals to finish the season as the Division 1 leading goalkicker with 50 majors from 12 games.
Heidelberg secured its place in the 2026 finals with an 80-point win over Diamond Creek enough to catapult them into fifth spot.
The result was all but assured at half time as the Tigers lead by 41 points, extending away in the second half as they kept the Creekers to one goal for the afternoon.
Emma Rowe finished with four majors for Heidelberg and vice-captain Nikki Watts chipped in with a couple as they both put in excellent performances. Mikayla Lee and Caitlin Basham were also named in the best players for the yellow and black.
Olivia Caruana, Poppy Strickland, Abbi Gardiner and Linda Thorp were the best of the Creekers who have endured a tough season at the bottom of the table. They’ll be hoping for better fortunes in 2027.
Banyule ended Lower Plenty’s season with a 24-point win at Lower Plenty Oval.
Lower faced a must-win equation if they were to hang onto fifth spot but just couldn’t match Banyule for much of the afternoon and trailed by 36 points at the last change. Despite winning the last quarter, the home side left themselves too much to do.
Jessica Sheard booted five goals for Banyule in a best afield effort and Olivia Mincone kicked the other two goals. Lily Goodison, Keely Welsh and Mackenzie Prentice also played excellent games.
Darci Fitzgerald, Matilda Raphael, Ava Klaic and Scarlett Hall filled the best player spots for Lower Plenty in their final game of 2026.
The focus now moves to the finals series, which will kick off with an elimination final between Banyule and Heidelberg and the first qualifying final between Eltham and Montmorency this weekend at La Trobe University.
Heidelberg Golf Club Division 1 – Finals Week One
Elimination Final
Banyule vs Heidelberg – Sunday 2 August, 12.15pm at Tony Sheehan Oval, La Trobe University
Qualifying Final 1
Eltham vs Montmorency – Sunday 2 August, 12.15pm at Tony Sheehan Oval, La Trobe University
Finals Week One Bye – St Mary’s
