The 2023 Golden Rivers grand final took place against a beautiful natural backdrop as fans of football and netball gathered at the Murrabit Recreation Reserve on Saturday to witness the teams battle it out for the premiership.
In the A Grade netball, the top two teams, Murrabit and Macorna, faced each other in front of a large crowd. Murrabit appeared confident from the first centre, with their shooters taking shots from the farthest point away from the goal ring. However, Macorna posed a challenge, forcing Murrabit to work hard for every pass and goal, with the wind also affecting the ball. Macorna played catch-up throughout the game and in the end, Murrabit secured an 11-point lead, emerging victorious.
Meanwhile, Murrabit’s Under 14s defeated Ultima by 12 goals, Hay Under 17s beat Ultima by four goals, Murrabit B Grade won against Macorna by two goals, and Hay B Reserve defeated Murrabit by eight.
On the football field, in a game of keepings off, the Lions demonstrated their fitness to play in the heat and confidence in ball handling skills. They were able to score while on the run, while Ultima struggled to keep possession and often kicked the ball long. However, Ultima’s team leaders directed players to settle and regain control. By half-time, Hay had taken a three-point lead.
Throughout the game, there was a strong police presence on the ground escorting umpires on and off the field.
In the third quarter, Ultima scored their first behind, but Hay quickly responded with one of their own. Declan Watson kicked a goal by playing on from a mark on the goal square, and the game intensified as Ultima was awarded a free kick from a player disagreement.
By the end of the quarter, Hay had kicked eight goals and eight behinds (56), while Ultima had booted five goals and 12 behinds (42).
The Lions went into the final quarter with a 14-point lead. Jensen Hargreaves of Hay kicked a goal to open the fourth quarter scoring account, and Ultima had bad luck when kicks for goal hit the post twice in the quarter. Cooper Scott of Hay suffered an injury and had to leave the ground with the trainers’ assistance, but the team continued to play well. Ultima clawed back the lead to 16, but Hay found another gear with minutes to go, and every goal was celebrated as a match win.
By the end of the quarter, the Lions’ large supporter base was surprised and excited to see them win their first premiership in 28 years. Hay Lions’ tight and controlled game proved victorious against Ultima’s long kicks.
The final scores were Hay with 11 goals and 15 behinds (81), defeating Ultima with six goals and 16 behinds (52) by 29 points.
This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 21 September 2023.
