One chance remains to write names into the Goulburn Valley Hockey Association annuls with all divisions coming into grand final week.
The women’s final four sought to punch their respective tickets across Sunday’s play at Shepparton Regional Hockey Complex, but both semi-final affairs ended totally lopsided.
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Benalla's Elizabeth Hayes stays behind it. Photo by Megan FisherImage 2 of 10
Strikers' Victoria Charlesworth puts all of herself into getting the pass away. Photo by Megan FisherImage 3 of 10
Strikers' Tamara Mills awaits a corner. Photo by Megan FisherImage 4 of 10
Benalla's Amber Armstrong makes a sweeping pass. Photo by Megan FisherImage 5 of 10
Strikers' Alexandra Druitt has to control it in the air. Photo by Megan FisherImage 6 of 10
Strikers' Victoria Charlesworth and Amy Winter exchange pleasantries after a goal. Photo by Megan FisherImage 7 of 10
Strikers' Alexandra Druitt maintains position in possession. Photo by Megan FisherImage 8 of 10
Strikers' Rachelle Collins keeps a close control. Photo by Megan FisherImage 9 of 10
Benalla's Katrina Brown keeps things steady. Photo by Megan FisherImage 10 of 10
Benalla's Siobhan Higgins sends a ground ball out wide. Photo by Megan FisherMegan Fisher was pitchside by the ‘Smurf Turf’ to capture it all as Strikers and Benalla did battle for a grand final place.
In the day’s first contest, it was Echuca Moama who, having finished the regular season with a perfect record of 12 wins from 12 outings, firmly stamped its authority one more time in meeting Euroa.
The saying is that good things often come in threes, and it doesn’t get much better by that token than three different hat-tricks in a 9-0 demolition of the fourth-placed southern outfit.
The sun still soaked Shepparton Sports City by the time the moment came for Strikers and Benalla to take the pitch, with the Shepparton-based outfit also expected to advance.
Not only did Strikers do just that, they even one-upped their foes from the border in a complete rout that finished 10-0.
Olivia Forbes, with three goals to her name in the regular season, took this contest by storm with a bag of four to more than double her 2024 tally in an instant.
Amy Winter’s hat-trick, Victoria Charlesworth’s double and a goal to Alexandra Druitt completed the remarkable result, setting up a clash between the clear top two sides in the decider.
In the men’s draw, both games were sorted out on Saturday afternoon as Strikers met Echuca Moama while SYC tangled with Mooroopna.
The Strikers men completed a sweeping job in brushing their foes aside with a 9-0 win immediately before their women’s counterparts put Benalla to the sword, with six players netting including a brace for standout Xavier McBain.
McBain was more than pleased by the collaborative effort on display.
“It was great to share it around with the goals,” McBain said.
“That’s our focus as a team as we’re not a one-man band.
“We want everyone getting involved, so it’s good that we could all contribute.
“We always thought we’d pull it together in the end. We just had to get the team back together again into training, so it’s been good for the past couple of weeks.
“We’ll definitely have a full-strength side for the grand final.”
Strikers will need their best available as well, now set for another decider against fellow Shepparton outfit SYC, who battled to overcome Mooroopna 3-2 in the later semi but have had the number of McBain’s men at times in 2024.
“It’s always different when you come to a grand final, and it’s never going to be an easy game so we want to make sure we’re on our toes,” McBain said.
“We’ll be ready for what they throw at us.
“I want to wish good luck to our women’s team as well playing in their final before us. Hopefully people get down there on Saturday and support them.”