THE Hay Lions have captured the last Golden Rivers Football League senior footy premiership.
Hay took on reigning premier Ultima in last Saturday’s decider for the ’25 season at Macorna.
Hay was chasing its fifth senior premiership in the Golden Rivers as Ultima vied for its 12th.
The Lions charged to a 28-13 lead by quarter-time and were up 50-32 by the long break.
In the third, Ultima scored 2.6 as the Lions added 2.3.
The final quarter also went Ultima’s way, 14-13, but it was Ultima’s players, coaches, officials, fans and sponsors who celebrated a 78-64 victory.
Hay’s attack was led by Declan Watson with three goals as Dylan and William Collis and Jack Headon added two each and Daniel Stewart the other.
For Ultima it was Ryan Devereux and Matt Taverna who kicked three goals.
The Kangaroos also had Thomas Bull, Dustin Burns and Ricky Wild on target.
Best for Hay were Fergus Cattanach, Dylan Collis, Jack Cattanach, Jacob Watson, Brad Pocock and Kenneth Jubb.
The Lions were jointly coached by Jason Aylett and James Moran.
Ultima’s best were Josh Dwyer, Caillum Brady, Ryan Devereux, Lincoln Frost, Thomas Bull and Thomas Isma.
Mitch Seton-Stewart and Kyle Symons teamed up to coach the Kangaroos.
In the reserves, Ultima bound away from Murrabit to record a 61-30 victory.
The Kangaroos led 13-9 at quarter-time and 33-21 by the main break.
Ultima scored 3.1 and kept the Blues to a tally of 1.2 in the third quarter.
The final term went Ultima’s way, 9-1.
Riley Haberman and Adrian Knee kicked five and four goals for the Kangaroos.
Murrabit’s goalkickers were Josh Bray, Riley Carse, Toby Gray and Nathan Morrow.
Best for Ultima were Dylan Pascoe, Jayden Kiel, Cassidy Sibley, Adrian Knee, Jack Featherby and Riley Haberman.
Murrabit’s best were Simon Morton, Riley Carse, Rhys Carmichael, Matt Davies, Brett McCombe and Jackson Brady.
The Macorna Tigers roared to a 64-42 win against Wandella in the under-18s grand final.
The Tigers led 15-9 at quarter-time and then scored 4.3 as they kept the Bombers to a tally of three goals in term two.
By the long break the yellow and black was up 42-27.
A closely-fought third term went Macorna’s way, 8-7.
The Tigers kicked two goals in the last to run out 22-point winners.
William Meharry capped a superb match with seven goals for Macorna as Will Evans and Broden Wishart were also on target.
The Bombers’ attack was led by Jaspa Chamberlain and Laing Waddingham on two each as Ollie Fowler and Abraham Keating added a goal.
Best for Macorna were Broden Wishart, William Meharry, Will Evans, Jarrah Edge, Sam Whinfield and Taylor Lacy.
Wandella’s best were Harvey Macri, Will Mellington, Seth Hall, Seth Rowe, Will Hogg and Jackson Barker.
Grand final day kicked off with the under-15s clash between Murrabit and Hay.
The cubs from the Hay Lions led 26-24 at half-time and then scored 2.1 as they kept Murrabit to a score of 1.1 in the third.
A tally of 1.1 as it kept the Blues scoreless in the last quarter sealed a 46-31 victory for Hay.
Dallas Giddins kicked two goals for Hay as Alex Giddins, Bill Houston, Ben Taylor, Ned Williamson and Kyper Woods slotted one each.
The Blues’ attack was led by Leo Ellison with two as Thomas Bray, Will Ettershank and Zane McKerrow added one each.
Best for Hay were Bill Houston, Max Hutchings, Kyper Woods, Alex and Dallas Giddins, and Kobe Payne.
Cooper Hein, Xavier Murray, Darcy Ellison, Jed McDonald, Parker Bray and Leo Ellison played well for the Blues.
From next season Hay, Moulamein, Murrabit, Ultima and Wandella will compete in the Central Murray Football Netball League.
Macorna will make its way into the Loddon Valley competition where the Tigers will be up against the likes of the Panthers, Mean Machine, Blues, Bulldogs, Bears, Eagles, Maroons, Superoos, and Demons. .