A wet day at Deakin Reserve has delivered emphatic semi-final results in the Goulburn Murray Women and Girls League senior competition.

Unbeaten Shepparton United will return to the decider for a third straight season as it hunts back-to-back flags, where it will be met by a new side - Mansfield.

In their third year of women’s football, the Eagles have reached their first grand final.

Mansfield finished 2024 in second, only to lose to United in the semi-final, before finishing fifth and missing the post-season altogether in 2025.

On Saturday, the Eagles made amends.

In the Deakin double-header, Moama and Mansfield first took to the field as rain hit the Shepparton surface.

It caused a desperate dog fight, with the slippery, muddy conditions increasing congestion around the contest.

With finals intensity and deteriorating conditions, it was a recipe for a low-scoring affair.

Ultimately though, it allowed Mansfield to do what it does best - defend.

Conceding the second-lowest points this season, the Eagles’ defence enjoyed the scrap and held off the Mowers’ attack in the wet.

“We’ve played well defensively throughout the year, I think we’ve kept a fair few teams goalless,” Mansfield coach Davey Holliday said.

“We knew we had that system and the weather would help, we just needed to make sure we had the ability to score as well.

“We put our ruck in the forward line to have that extra target up forward, but ultimately there wasn’t a lot of opportunity for either side.

“There was plenty of slippery ball, but that suited our style of play.”

As Holliday stated, Mansfield was also limited in its chances, but it succeeded in putting a goal on the board in the second term through Mim Davidson, one that was ultimately decisive by full time.

It wasn’t pretty, but in finals football that isn’t necessary. It just matters if you win.

At the final siren, it was Moama’s arm held down after a four quarter arm wrestle, defeated 0.1 (1) to 1.4 (10).

Holliday’s tactical nous came to the fore in the result, and he believes that the Eagles’ structure will stack up on Sunday.

“In the back half of the season we’ve changed our defensive structure from man-on to a press, which has helped stop movement through the middle,” he said.

“Our backline has performed outstandingly, and we have some real leaders down there, Saige Neave is one, she reads the ball brilliantly.

“We knew Moama tend to flood the ball, so if we held our structure they’d kick it back to us and mop up the skill errors, and that’s where we capitalised defensively.”

Following the drama of the Mowers-Eagles clash, United stepped to the field against an inspired Cobram unit having witnessed an upset unfold.

But it quickly became clear the Demons were in no mood to let the Tigers stalk them as prey.

While the similarly sloppy conditions hindered a scoring avalanche, it was complete control orchestrated by Grant Searle’s girls, holding Cobram to 1.1 (7) as the Demons tallied 6.5 (41) to book their grand final ticket.

The GMWGL women’s grand final between Shepparton United and Mansfield will take place at Moama Recreation Reserve on Sunday at 2pm.

Meanwhile in the youth girls, Shepparton United will take on Moama in the big dance.

The Demons edged out Shepparton Swans by seven points in the morning drizzle at Deakin Reserve, with a first quarter goal by Murray Bushrangers star Lana Carroll the difference in the final result, 1.4 (10) to 0.3 (3).

Ladder-leader Moama was comprehensive in its win over fourth-placed Cobram, as Chloe Ryan and captain Ruby McLeod’s three goals each led an eight-goal charge by the Mowers, defeating the Tigers 8.5 (53) to 1.2 (8).

The Mowers will host the Demons prior to the senior women’s grand final at 12pm on Sunday.

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Wednesday, 29th March 2028

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