LAKE Boga has completed a fairytale finale to the 2024 season, ending their club’s 59-year premiership drought with a commanding 12-goal win over rivals Swan Hill in Saturday’s A grade grand final.
The 40-28 win ensured the Magpies not only claimed their first A grade title since 1965 but also finished the year undefeated.
It was also a day of redemption for Lake Boga, who 12 months earlier suffered a heartbreaking grand final defeat to Swan Hill in extra time.
There would be no such heroics from the Swans this time around, however, with the Magpies getting the jump on their rivals, scoring eight of the first 10 goals of the match to immediately put their opponents on the back foot.
Swan Hill refused to lie down, fighting their way back into the contest on several occasions throughout a see-sawing first half, trailing by just three and four goals respectively at the quarter- and half-time breaks.
The second half belonged to the fanatically black-and-white army, with Lake Boga producing their best netball when it mattered to outscore their rivals 20 goals to 12 after the main break.
It was a proud moment for Anne-Marie Stewart and her team, with the Lake Boga coach thrilled to watch her playing group achieve the ultimate after coming so close 12 months earlier.
“There were lots of tears and there were a lot of very happy people of all ages from our club,” Stewart said.
“This win finishes off a two-year journey for us and the girls had a real point to prove after last year, especially to themselves.
“Even though we finished on top last year, we came from fourth or fifth on the ladder the season before and I think it was a bit unrealistic to expect them to go straight to the top last season and win it all.
“That’s not to say they weren’t capable of winning it, because they were, but we may not have been mentally ready.
“But now, after this result, they’ve achieved that win and I know they will all walk away from this season with the confidence that they can beat anyone and achieve anything.”
Although the premiership was the only desired result for Lake Boga supporters, it was the manner in which her team outplayed quality opponents which pleased Stewart, with all their planning coming to fruition on the game’s biggest stage.
“I thought we came out and really wanted to win,” Stewart said.
“The girls were really focused and all seven were ready to do their job.
“The best thing from my perspective was all the work that we did at the start of the season.
“Everything that had been implemented into their game was happening automatically and nearly happening without them even knowing they were doing it.
“We implemented the second phase, and getting depth on our second phase and the stats up to three-quarter-time, from our 21 centre passes we obtained our goal of deep penetration into the second phase, whereas Swan Hill made only four out of their 24 centres.
“In the first quarter we made six out of seven.
“As a coach I was very very happy with that.
“They (Swan Hill) didn’t get one through the second phase and we kept their second pass in the centre third for the entire first quarter, which I was really happy with, and that continued on throughout the day.”
Lake Boga’s defence was instrumental in the final result, with goal keeper Sophie Peacock earning herself this year’s best-on-court medal after restricting dangerous Swan Hill goal shooter Zoe Morris to 20 goals.
It was the all-round defensive display from the Magpies’ defenders that garnered praise from Stewart, however, especially the ability of both Peacock sisters to intercept many of Swan Hill’s attacking-third entries.
“Sophie’s (Peacock) hedging was magnificent,” Stewart said.
“She continuously came off her player and her intercepting was amazing.
“Emma Peacock’s hedging was also terrific, although she was doing hers coming off the handover of the ball and she denied those little passes to the centre and wing attack.
“She was brilliant with how she was able to shut down their feeders.
“They (Swan Hill) came out and tried to ruffle our feathers with a bit of body on body, but we were able to work our way through that.
“They (the Peacock sisters) are both on another level – they get the technical part of netball and are able to implement it.
“The Hepburn sisters (Sarah Hepburn and Katie Carmichael) played amazing games in the ring, but all our girls worked really hard.
“Jemma (Meehan) had a great grand final as well and Taig’s (Taigan O’Shannassy) played very well in the centre.
“It’s her first season playing the position and she’s had to play against some top players and has done a really good job.”
Stevie Bibby capped off a strong first season for the Swans to be a clear standout, while Sarah Hepburn was the leading goal scorer in the decider with 32 goals.
