Last battle for grand final berths

The weather provided almost as much drama as the netball at Darnum, with rain and two lightning strikes playing their part in a preliminary final day where six grand final places were on the line.
Earlier rain had left the red court wet, but conditions cleared before the 13 and under match and, with little wind, the surface held up well as a huge crowd packed around the court. With a place in the grand final at stake, the equation was simple - win and advance, lose and the 2026 season was over.
13 & under: Lang Lang 27 def Yarragon 19
Just two weeks after Yarragon edged Lang Lang by a single goal in the qualifying final, the Panthers and Tigers met again with a grand final berth on the line.
Yarragon made the stronger start, settling quickly despite the wet court and taking an 8-3 lead into quarter time.
Lang Lang were forced to make changes during the second term but remained composed and began working their way back into the contest, reducing the margin to five goals at half time.
The Tigers made their move after the main break. Increased defensive pressure created more turnover opportunities and, after scoring just seven goals in the opening half, piled on 10 in the third quarter to completely change the game. Yarragon managed just three for the term as the Tigers turned a five-goal deficit into a 17-15 lead heading into the last.
Lang Lang continued to apply the pressure and produced another 10-goal quarter to complete an impressive second-half turnaround. The Tigers prevailed 27-19, reversing their qualifying final result and booking a match with Buln Buln in the grand final.
Best on court: At the heart of the Lang Lang comeback was goal keeper Sadie, who played all four quarters in defence.
15 & under: Buln Buln 21 def Lang Lang 19
Having already met in the qualifying final, Buln Buln and Lang Lang renewed acquaintances with considerably more at stake - a place against Poowong in the grand final.
There also was some club pride on the line, with both clubs' 13 and under teams already qualified for the big day.
Strong defensive pressure dominated from the outset, with Lang Lang taking an early 5-3 advantage as both sides forced turnovers and made scoring opportunities difficult to come by.
The arm wrestle continued through the middle quarters. Lang Lang maintained their two-goal advantage at half time, 9-7, before Buln Buln began to work their way back into the contest.
With the Lyrebirds making several positional changes during the third term, the margin was reduced to just one at the final change, Lang Lang leading 13-12.
Pippa was a constant presence in defence for Buln Buln, while Eve anchored the Tigers' defensive end as neither team was able to establish any real breathing space.
Lang Lang struck first in the last and briefly pushed the margin out to three, but Buln Buln refused to let the Tigers get away. The Lyrebirds fought their way back to level the scores before finishing the stronger of the two sides, producing nine goals for the quarter to claim a thrilling victory.
Best on court: Buln Buln goal shooter Neve, playing an important role in the Lyrebirds' hard-fought win.
17 & under: Yarragon 35 def Poowong 31
Yarragon and Poowong met for the third time this season, with the Panthers having claimed their two previous encounters by seven and eight goals respectively.
Yarragon looked determined to continue that record from the opening whistle, with excellent vision through court and strong defensive pressure creating intercepts and allowing them to race to a 14-6 quarter-time lead. Charlotte was strong in the defensive circle, while the Panthers capitalised at the other end to establish the early break.
Poowong refused to allow the game to get away from them. The Pies increased their pressure through the second quarter before really making their move after half time, with changes in their attacking end paying dividends.
Keesha and Holly combined for 11 third-quarter goals as Poowong cut an 11-goal half-time deficit to just five at the final change. Suddenly, a game Yarragon had appeared to control was very much alive.
The Pies continued to come in the last, applying enormous pressure to Yarragon's attack and reducing the margin further, but the Panthers found enough answers when it mattered.
Despite Poowong winning the second half 20-13, Yarragon's outstanding start proved decisive as they held on for a four goal victory.
Best on court: Yarragon goal defence Addison for an outstanding performance at the defensive end.
C grade: Neerim South 37 def Ellinbank 26
Neerim South's remarkable finals run continued in C grade, with the fourth-placed Cats taking on an Ellinbank side that has been a fixture on grand final day for more than a decade.
The Cats set the tone early with excellent defensive pressure creating intercepts and opportunities in attack, while Ellinbank worked hard to maintain possession and find a way through. Neerim South established an 11-6 quarter-time lead, with Jessie Gleeson and Megan Preston providing a strong defensive presence behind the ball.
Ellinbank lifted through the second term, but Neerim South continued to control the contest and took a 19-12 advantage into half time. The Eagles increased their defensive pressure after the break and began creating more turnovers, but the Cats remained patient with possession and continued to find avenues to goal.
Another nine-goal quarter extended Neerim South's advantage to 28-18 at three-quarter time, leaving Ellinbank with plenty of work to do to keep their grand final streak alive.
The Eagles produced their best attacking quarter in the last, scoring eight goals, but Neerim South refused to surrender the advantage they had worked so hard to establish. The Cats finished with a 37-26 victory, completing an extraordinary rise from fourth position to book a grand final showdown with Lang Lang.
The result also ends a remarkable era of consistency for Ellinbank, with 2026 the first time since 2014 that the Eagles will not feature in the C Grade grand final.
Best on court: Neerim South captain and midcourter Emily Robb for an influential performance across the match.
B grade: Bunyip 45 def Neerim South 36
Bunyip entered the final looking to secure their place on grand final day, while Neerim South were hoping to join their A and C Grade sides already through to the season decider.
The Bulldogs had enjoyed a comfortable 20-goal victory when the sides met in the qualifying final, but it was immediately clear this contest would be very different.
Neerim South edged ahead early in a fiercely contested opening term before the afternoon took a dramatic turn, with a lightning strike stopping play around halfway through the first quarter.
Under league bylaws, players were required to leave the court, with a second lightning strike during the delay extending the safety break and kept both teams off court for almost half an hour.
When play finally resumed, Neerim South completed the opening quarter with an 11-9 lead, before Bunyip responded strongly in the second. The Bulldogs forced the Cats to work the ball around the circle, created rebounds and turnovers and turned the two-goal deficit into a one-goal half-time advantage. Another tight third term left Bunyip narrowly ahead 31-29 at the final change.
With a grand final berth there for the taking, Bunyip produced their best quarter when it mattered most. The Bulldogs converted turnovers, controlled their centre passes and scored 14 goals in the final term to finally break Neerim South's resistance, securing a 45-36 victory and a showdown with reigning premiers Ellinbank.
Best on court: B grade goal shooter, Bunyip vice-captain Talise Berryman, was named best on court.
A grade: Ellinbank 51 def Buln Buln 38
After the lengthy weather delay, third-placed Ellinbank and fourth-placed Buln Buln finally took the court just after 3pm for the last grand final place of the day.
The opening term reflected exactly what was at stake, with defensive pressure high across the court and turnovers coming from both sides as neither team could settle into a rhythm. Buln Buln held the narrowest of advantages at the first change, 9-8, setting up what looked destined to be another tight preliminary final.
Ellinbank began to take control in the second quarter, converting turnovers through the middle of the court and producing a 15-goal term to establish a five-goal half-time lead.
The Lyrebirds continued to challenge and worked hard to stay within striking distance, but the Eagles' defensive pressure continued to create opportunities. Rachel McDonald provided a strong presence at goal keeper, while Taylah Wallace and Rhiannon Haines worked tirelessly through the middle as Ellinbank extended their advantage to 36-25 at the final change.
Buln Buln weren't finished, scoring four quick goals in the last to threaten another comeback, but Ellinbank responded and pulled away again. Abbey Gray carried much of the scoring load for the Eagles, finishing a strong afternoon in the circle as Ellinbank produced another 15-goal quarter to secure victory and a showdown with undefeated reigning premiers Neerim South.
Best on court: Ellinbank wing defence Rhiannon Haines continued her outstanding finals series, earning another best on court performance after a relentless four quarters through the midcourt.