PRESTON CITY OVAL, VIC. — Heidelberg has continued its Northern Football Netball League (NFNL) Division 1 dynasty with a 32-point win over Greensborough in the grand final at Preston City Oval yesterday.
The Tigers chalked up a record-breaking fifth-straight flag – the longest premiership streak in Diamond Valley Football League and Northern Football Netball League history in front of well over 3000 patrons who packed into Preston across the day.
Greensborough were gallant, leading by seven points at quarter time in a real arm-wrestle as both sides kicked inaccurately, before Heidelberg grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck in the second term. The Tigers kicked five unanswered goals to lead by 23 points heading into the main break.
HEIDELBERG: 1.3 6.5 8.12 12.18 (90)
GOALS: Jack Andrew 4, Kai Dimattina 2, Zane Barzen, Kai Kearns, Tom Keys, Daniel O’Dwyer, Josh Shepherd, Brayden Sier.
BEST: Sam Gilmore, Josh Shepherd (BOG), Jack Andrew, Kai Dimattina, Luke Bunker, Matthew Signorello.
GREENSBOROUGH: 2.4 2.7 6.9 8.10 (58)
GOALS: Harrison Andronaco 2, Brody Glenn 2, Zak McCubbin 2, Jamie Smith 2.
BEST: William Mcfawn, Jack Johnston, Jackson Davies, Blake Watson, Harrison Andronaco, Brody Glenn.
The Boro weren’t done with, however and steadied the ship in the third term, booting 4.2 to Heidelberg’s 2.7 to close the gap to 15 points, threatening to cause one of the great upsets if they were able to make every post a winner in the final term.
It wasn’t to be, however – the Tigers showing their class in the final term with a four-goal burst after Greensborough kicked the first goal of the quarter to get within nine points, blowing the margin out to 36 points and sealed the result for the yellow and black.
Josh Shepherd’s game running up and down the wings and kicking a goal in the second term earned him the best on ground medal.
Jack Andrew was a constant threat inside Heidelberg’s forward arc, finishing with four goals while Kai Dimattina kicked two. Frank Rosbrook Medallist Sam Gilmore was influential in the ruck particularly late in the game, while Luke Bunker was typically industrious in the clinches winning key clearances across the day.
For Greensborough goals were shared – two each to Brody Glenn, Zak McCubbin, Jamie Smith and Harrison Andronaco were the only players to hit the scoreboard for the Boro. Will Mcfawn fought an entertaining battle with Tiger Zane Barzen for the majority of the afternoon and probably took the points, skipper Jack Johnston led from the front with countless defensive 50 rebounds and Blake Watson’s class through the middle stood out.
But to beat Heidelberg requires almost football’s equivalent of an immaculate inning in baseball – you need to execute for a long period of time and hope for some mistakes from the opposition and while Heidelberg couldn’t take full toll on the scoreboard, some errors with ball in hand by Greensborough hurt them badly when it looked as though they were primed to attack.
Often these were turned into goals at the other end.
The Tigers celebrated long into the night at Warringal Park, basking in the glory of being the undisputed kings of local football in the greater Melbourne area.
Thanks for joining us for NFNL footy season 2026. This concludes our season 2026 coverage. We’ll be back in mid-March 2027 for NFNL season 2027.
