ENDING the back-to-back premiership hopes of St Therese, the Netblacks booked their place in a second successive M-League Premier Men’s Grand Final. After splitting their head-to-head at one win apiece during the year, the Netblacks took no chances with their team selection as they had in the second clash, and got the job done by just one goal (52-51) in the semi-final.

In a remarkable game, the grand final rematch from last season saw Junior Levi pile on 13 of his side’s 14 goals in the opening quarter as the Netblacks outscored St Therese, 14-10. Tom Hardwick was in form early, shooting eight goals in the first quarter and 15 by half-time, as the reigning premiers reduced the deficit to three goals at the main break.

The star-studded midcourt battle of Riley Richardson and Deepak Patu was one to watch, as Jake Schuster had the job of containing Hardwick and then Connor Lilly. Between the St Therese duo, they scored 22 goals in the opening half, as Jarrod Cowling and Richardson did their best to feed through to the shooters. Up the other end, Jesse Failla was stepping up big time alongside Patu, with the Netblacks goal attack a rotating bib.

Though in the end the three goal attacks put up just the two goals for the match while Levi picked up 50, the space they found and the feeding through to the high-volume shooter was key. Nathan Selvidge was also working hard on Cowling, as St Therese called upon Tim Walker for the second half, as the shooter added 16 goals. That effort put St Therese in with a chance, but they would ultimately fall short, as Levi and his side held on despite losing the fourth quarter.

Netblacks won just the one quarter – first – and drew the third, but by limiting the damage in the second and fourth quarters, it was enough to secure the win, 52-51. Levi’s 50 goals were a feature, as Selvidge and Patu – who moved into goal attack in the second half as Kai Suzuki-McGaurin took his centre bib – also stood up. Richardson and Hardwick worked well throughout the contest, as Cowling kept the pressure on throughout the four quarters.

In the other match, City Heat was able to fight off a determined Altona Falcons to live up to their minor premiers title. Though the Falcons kept the pressure on throughout the contest, once they fell five goals behind at the last change, they could not make up the difference and the Heat ran out victors, 58-53.

Cameron Allum shot 44 goals in the victory, with David Butler (six) and Michael Dower (eight) rotating in goal attack for each half. In defence, Josh Byron and Alastair Punshon had the touch jobs on Josh Smith and Brodie Roberts, with the latter even getting a run at wing attack.

Roberts shot 14 goals as the defence of Punshon and Simon Cartwright limited his opportunities. Liam Killey – who had starred for LTU in the Premier Mixed competition – came on for the final three quarters and added 32 goals in the loss.