Tonners go back-to-back

Old Brighton has claimed the 2025 Premier B Women’s premiership in emphatic fashion, defeating Old Melburnians by 23 points in a high-quality Grand Final at Coburg City Oval.

The Tonners, who finished the home-and-away season atop the ladder, saved their best for last, overcoming early nerves and a spirited Omlettes outfit to secure the premiership, 9.6 (60) to 5.7 (37).

The opening quarter saw Old Melburnians kicking with the breeze, but the expected advantage never materialised. Nerves were high and the contest was scrappy, with the ball rarely exiting cleanly as both sides brought finals-level intensity.

Old Melburnians drew first blood through Sally Peers, who snapped truly after taking a strong mark in the pocket. Old Brighton capitalised on a brief lapse from the Omlettes to respond through Tiger Doultree, leaving them just one point adrift at the first break.

Tonners coach Andrew Grant praised his side’s ability to absorb the early pressure.

“With the wind going down to one end and OM’s kicking with it in the first quarter, it was a great effort to keep them to one goal and also kick one ourselves. I was really happy with our pressure in the contest which didn’t allow OMs to get their running game going,” he said.

The second quarter was where Old Brighton really stamped their authority. With the breeze at their backs, they piled on four unanswered goals, turning a tight contest into a commanding lead.

Katie Grant opened the term with a strong mark and set shot conversion, and from there the floodgates opened. Scout Howden kicked her first of the day, before Sienna found space, even taking a bounce before slotting a long-range goal.

India Tait capped off the quarter with the goal of the day, spinning through traffic, to give Old Brighton a 28-point lead at half time.

Despite the scoreline, Old Melburnians backline fought tirelessly, with Em Fraser and Steph Barnett going to war in an attempt to cut off the Tonners’ repeat entries.

The third quarter saw Old Melburnians lift their intensity again. They dominated territory and locked the ball inside their forward 50 but struggled to convert. Sophie Fraser finally broke through with a composed set shot, and Olive Mclean looked lively but couldn’t execute under the immense Old Brighton pressure.

The Omlettes trimmed the margin back to 18 points at the final change, but going against the wind in the final term, a comeback was going to be a tough ask.

Coach Nic Stephens rallied his side, urging them to throw everything at the game. However, Old Brighton were also clearly on a mission, knowing they only had one quarter left to play before they could lift the premiership cup. They struck within the first minute of the term, Courtney again finding space and finishing cooly.

The Omlettes would have been forgiven for dropping their heads after this, but instead, they dug deep, getting the ball to Ellen Williams inside 50 for a set shot. In a rare miss by Williams, the ball went wide for a behind.

Despite the clear lift in energy from Old Melburnians, Old Brighton were still finding new ways to cause damage. Scout Howden kicked two majors, the first from a free kick and the second a brilliant snap from 40m out, followed by a goal to Lucy Grant which saw the margin stretch out to a game-high 40 points.

The Omlettes surged late, slotting three majors in a five-minute run to bring the margin back to a more respectable 23 points, but they had left their charge too late – Old Brighton were crowned the 2025 premiers.

For Old Melburnians, the loss was tough, but the fight was admirable. Nic Stephens reflected on the season with pride.

“I really couldn’t have been prouder of that fourth quarter from our girls. We asked them to give it one last charge even against the wind in the last and they gave it their absolute all. I think other than the second quarter it was a pretty competitive game and the fourth really showed how well both teams stacked up against each other,” he said.

“This game and season meant so much to this team and I’ll forever be proud of each and every girl that’s pulled on the jumper for us this year for what they all did to try and get us over the line.”

Stephens highlighted the efforts of first-year player Macy Tyrrell, who starred on the wing, repeatedly finding herself in the right spots and putting her body on the line, as well as the performance of skipper Gee Dunlop, who led from the front.

For Old Brighton, the win was a fitting end to a season where they led the way throughout.

“The club has been so proud of this group this year – we have overcome many challenges in 2025, particularly with personnel, and winning the premiership is testament to the group’s resilience,” Grant said.

“This game and season meant so much to this team and I’ll forever be proud of each and every girl that’s pulled on the jumper for us this year.”

While Grant was emphatic that every Old Brighton player contributed to the win in a team effort, it was Scout Howden who was awarded the Felicity Frederico Best on Ground medal for her performance – strong in the air and on ground all day.

The win marks Old Brighton’s first Premier B Women’s premiership and caps off a dominant season where they finished top of the ladder and proved themselves the benchmark of the competition. Old Brighton have gone back-to-back, building on their Division 1 Women’s Premiership glory in Season 2024 with the Premier B Women’s flag in 2025. Watch out for the Tonners come 2026…