CITY Heat are basking in premiership glory having defeated Netblacks by six goals in the M-League Premier Men’s Grand Final. In a willing contest that built up to a fitting finale, it was not until the dying minutes that City Heat could truly relax.

A battle between two in-form goal shooters in Cameron Allum and Junior Levi ultimately ended with the former not only winning a premiership medallion, but also the grand final Most Valuable Player (MVP).

Though City Heat controlled the play and the scoreboard throughout the match, it was far from a done deal as the Netblacks were willing to throw caution to the wind in order to get back into the contest. Heading into the final term, the margin was six goals, as the Heat had shot away in the final minute of the third quarter to give themselves momentum heading into the last.

A huge intercept early in the fourth term allowed the Netblacks to close within two goals at the 11:46 mark, though each time the Netblacks pressured their opponents, the Heat settled through Allum’s reliability.

The margin cut back to two goals midway through the quarter, but after the Heat again settled, a crucial foul off the centre pass from Kai Suzuki-McGauran turned the ball over and in the blink of an eye the score was out to five.

Josh Byron won the ball for an offensive contact off Levi and that seemed to ultimately set up the win. Though Levi was able to score back-to-back goals with two minutes remaining and get it back to four, it was always going to be a challenge.

Not long after, the Netblacks went to win a turnover, but Schuster bumped into Allum and play stopped for a moment. The incident would leave Allum concussed, and though he played out the rest of the match and started in the Premier Mixed Grand Final for Geelong, he was unable to play more than a few minutes before being ruled out.

The Heat were able to settle and score three of the last four goals to salute by six goals, 61-55. Allum was named best-on the victory, though the entire defence was strong, with Byron, Alastair Punshon and Simon Cartwright all able to pressure the opposition attacking third.

Though Levi still put up plenty of goals, he was restricted at times, and the breakdown through rushed passes in the midcourt hurt. Levi finished with 51 of his side’s 55 goals, while Allum managed the 42, pairing up well with Brodie McCleish (nine) and Michael Dower (10).

City Heat fully deserved the win, leading at each break and winning or drawing each quarter. Though Netblacks never let the score blowout, the consistency of the Heat performance was consistent, and allowed the side to go deeper than its semi-final exit 12 months earlier.