Heidelberg have claimed the club’s first Marbuilt Division 1 Under 19.5 premiership with a 42-point victory over Diamond Creek in the 2024 Grand Final at Preston City Oval.
After a tight opening quarter, the Tigers stamped their authority in the final three terms of the match, conceding only one goal up until three quarter time in the 11.10 (76) to 4.10 (34) triumph.
It was Northern Knights duo Buol Majur and Josh Shepherd who were the key players that led their side to a historic flag.
Majur was dominant in the ruck and along with his tireless work rate around the ground, he would go on to win the best on ground medal.
Shepherd meanwhile was lively inside forward 50 and kicked a game-high three goals to add to his impressive 2024 tally.
Although the pair were highlights in the victory, the Tigers ran in sync throughout the decider and didn’t have a single passenger, with solid performances from the likes of Connor Dooley, Callan Healy, Jack McKenna and Nicholas Shaw suggesting the future is very bright at the club.
The Grand Final defeat meanwhile ended a great top flight campaign from Diamond Creek, who after winning last year’s Division 2 Under 19.5’s decider, finished the home and away campaign in second position and won three finals on their way to the last match of the season.
Captain Jack Brown fought hard all day across the ground and was one of four individual goalkickers for his side, while league best and fairest winner Connor Lidgerwood’s class was also on display in midfield in another solid performance.
The Creekers would start the best of the two sides with some early inside 50 entries, the second of which resulting in a major at the seven-minute mark.
A territory tussle ensued from there on, with both sides looking to gain the ascendancy and set the tone for the Grand Final, before Heidelberg got on the board through a Callan Healy major, which made it a one-point ball game at the first break.
An opening half that was tight and fierce was elevated in the second term as finding open space proved very difficult to come by for each team initially.
But the Tigers would soon break through when Sebastian Cannizzaro and Josh Shepherd kicked goals in a four-minute window to help establish a handy 13-point half time lead.
As they did in the opening term, Diamond Creek would start positively in the third quarter, as they sensed an opportunity to get the game back on their terms while the margin was still within reach.
But a resolute Heidelberg defence, that had conceded more than eight goals just twice in 2024, were up to the task again, applying some terrific pressure in their defensive end and ensuring the Creekers got very little looks at goal.
The Tigers then turned that defensive pressure into scoreboard pressure, as they produced a three-goal term to extend their lead out to 30 points at the final break.
Any hopes of a Creekers resurgence were extinguished just five minutes into the last quarter, when the Tigers nailed their seventh goal of the match.
With the result all but secured, the contest became free flowing, with seven more majors kicked between the two sides to round out the match.
It mattered little in the grand scheme of things however, with Heidelberg having done enough to kick off what would turn out to be a famous day for the club.
