A MEMORABLE BFNL grand final day for Strathfieldsaye Football Netball Club at the QEO on Saturday started on the netball court.
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The Storm was the first club to notch-up a premiership when their B-reserve netballers defeated Eaglehawk 39-25.
It was a case of 'first and last' for the Storm, who also won the last grand final decided in the senior football, also against the Hawks.
The Storm's netball triumph was powered by a brilliant second-half, after they led at a quarter-time by a solitary goal and at half-time by five.
Strathfieldsaye broke the game wide open with an 11-4 third quarter and sealed a 14-goal victory with an 8-6 final term.
Goal keeper Chelsie Haebich won the best on court medal for a sensational four-quarter performance for the Storm.
Victorious Storm coach Elyse Morgan said she could not have been more prouder of her players.
"We have been preparing for this for a few weeks now and we knew Eaglehawk would be a tough opponent," she said.
"The girls did a really great job. The margin was a lot bigger than I thought it would be.
"Eaglehawk kept fighting to the end and had a really great last quarter."
The Storm came from third to win the grand final, albeit they finished level at the end of the home and away season on wins with the top-placed Hawks and Sandhurst.
They continued to gather momentum throughout the finals, defeating Sandhurst by six goals in the qualifying final and Eaglehawk by 11 in the second semi-final.
"We really peaked in finals. We were struggling a little bit towards the end of the season, but our last three games were superb," she said.
"After our loss last season - a loss in overtime (to South Bendigo) - we really wanted it."
Morgan described best on court Haebich as an 'amazing inclusion', after missing last season's grand final while overseas, and praised the contribution of junior Ava Hamilton, who won the medal in last year's grand final, and spent the final two-quarters at goal attack.
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