NCFL: A perfect year culminates on a perfect spring day

It was the Tigers' first flag since 2019, and they become the only side this century to go through a season undefeated in NCFL senior footy.

With a blowout a strong possibility considering the Tigers' dominance in 2023, the punters were given their money's worth, with the Maroons taking the game deep.

After a solid third term that saw them kick three goals to one and have the margin back within 12 points at the last change, Brett Barker's men were full of belief.

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A crucial goal from best-on-ground Tyson McKenzie gave the Tigers some much-needed breathing space early in the last before the game descended into an arm wrestle for the next ten minutes.

McKenzie was brilliant at breaking the Maroons' lines through the middle of the ground and, along with Jack Poulton, who was superb across half-back, taking numerous intercept marks, were the best players on the park.

A 70-metre bomb from Austin Mertz that bounced kindly was the hammer blow, and by the time the Maroons could get any return of their own on the scoreboard, both teams were out on their feet.

While he downplayed it throughout the week, Tigers co-coach Bryce Delmenico said the feeling on the final siren was pure relief.

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"It was pretty good to get it done, and there was a lot of pressure lifted once that final siren rang," Delmenico said.

"It was a mixture of ecstasy and relief as there was a fair bit of pressure coming in, but thankfully, the boys didn't let it affect them at all."

The Tigers' poor conversion almost came back to haunt them.

Gun key forward Joshua Jenkins was the day's leading goalkicker with four but also had six behinds on his score sheet.

The Yellow and Black dominated the opening term but would find themselves only 19 points up at the first change after their first five scores were behinds.

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"We came out ready to get the jump on them and started well but didn't convert," Delmenico said.

"We were missing goals from 20 to 30 metres out directly in front.

"Josh (Jenkins) should have had a lot more than four but missed quite a few and dropped some marks in the goalsquare.

"It wasn't pretty, but we got the job done, and that's all that matters on grand final day."

The win culminated a day that will live long in Tigers folklore, with the under 14s and reserves also winning premierships.

"It's great for all the volunteers at the club who have put in a ton of work across the year to taste the success of three footy premierships," Delmenico said.

"But credit to Nullawil as well with the amount of teams they had in grand finals across footy and netball.

"They have definitely made the league stronger."

The Maroons won four of the six netball grand finals, including in A Grade, by five points over Boort.

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NCFL GF DAY RESULTS:

FOOTBALL:

Seniors:

Sea Lake-Nandaly 10.16 (76) def Nullawil 9.8 (62)

Reserves:

Sea Lake-Nandaly 12.8 (80) def Nullawil 7.4 (46)

Under-17s:

Boort 11.7 (73) def St Arnaud 5.3 (33)

Under 14s:

Sea Lake-Nandaly 4.5 (29) def Donald 2.9 (21)

NETBALL:

A Grade:

Nullawil 37 def Boort 32

B Grade:

Nullawil 41 def Donald 32

C Grade:

Boort 42 def Nullawil 29

Under 17s:

Nullawil 24 def Boort 19

Under 14s A:

Nullawil 20 def Donald 17

Under 14s B:

Birchip-Watchem 23 def St Arnaud 5

HOCKEY:

Men:

St Arnaud 4 def Wycheproof-Narraport 2

Women:

Charlton 9 def Birchip-Watchem 2

Under 15s:

Birchip-Watchem 1 def St Arnaud 0

Under 12s:

St Arnaud 2 def Charlton 0

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