2026 A Grade Grand Finals Wrap

With the HIF Finals Series all finished after seven weeks of action, here are all four games from Saturday’s season-defining A Grade Grand Finals wrapped.

Tiger Kings: North Beach go big in back-to-back flag win

An assertive performance from North Beach has secured the Tigers a second-straight Sandover Shield, defeating Fremantle CBC by 71 points in a one-sided Grand Final at HIF Health Insurance Oval.

The 12.19 (91) to 2.8 (20) win confirms the club as the PFL’s measuring stick, having also sewn up consecutive reserves’ premierships earlier in the day.

It was a day to forget for Liam Anthony’s Fremantle CBC, who were beaten across the park by the star-studded North Beach lineup right from the first siren.

They had no answer for league-leading goalkicker Alex Marklew, who continued his dominant season in attack to finish with three majors. Marklew began the premiership celebrations early, slotting his final major shortly before the last break and running all the way to his team’s bench to rejoice their unassailable advantage.

Zac Clarke won the B.J Giles Medal as best on ground, providing first use for his midfielders as a dominant ruck despite a strong challenge from CBC’s Nash Miller.

Kai Marchetto was also impressive as an intercept marking option for North Beach on the rare occasion they conceded an inside 50.

Much like their first-half shutout of Curtin Uni Wesley in last season’s decider, the reigning premiers got off to a dream start, dominating the early inside 50s 17-3. Goals to Jackson Prior and Ben Perkin before CBC had the chance to settle into the battle gave the hot favourites early ascendancy.

The Tigers’ presence in the contest through midfielders Frank Anderson and Josh Deluca proved overwhelming for CBC, who were listless in clearances to start the opening term.

A Marklew goal on the edge of quarter time made it a 28-0 start for the Tigers, setting up a comfortable lead they continued to build as the game progressed.

The nervous CBC’s rough start worsened when they lost Chris Ah Siu to a leg injury halfway through the first term after the defender was crunched in a marking contest.

Miller tried to get his side going from the centre, and a settling goal by Luke Kenny to start the second made it seem like a resistance from CBC might be emerging after quarter time.

But despite having more play in the term, they couldn’t capitalise on the scoreboard as North Beach extended their lead through Nic Wells and Thomas Hooper, before Cas Dunlop put an exclamation mark on a complete first half with a superb finish, baulking an opponent and goaling.

Marklew’s second extended the Tigers ‘ lead to 44 points at the main break, leaving them in a commanding position to claim their second premiership of the day.

The Tigers won clearances 12-4 in the third quarter as they sprayed the goals, restricting CBC to just a behind for the quarter, putting a further stamp on the game.

The cue had firmly been placed in the rack in the final term, a Tom Lang goal ending a run of six straight behinds from the premiers who could have easily blown the margin out further than the final 71 point margin.

The win was North Beach’s 15th A Grade title.

SCOREBOARD

NORTH BEACH 4.4 8.6 11.12 12.19 (91)

FREMANTLE C.B.C 0.0 1.4 1.5 2.8 (20)

Best (NORTH BEACH): Z Clarke J Deluca K Marchetto A Marklew J Prior F Anderson. Best (FREMANTLE C.B.C): C Robinson N Miller C Sims M Ward L Turley

Goals (NORTH BEACH): A Marklew 3 J Prior B Perkin N Connors N Wells J Deegan T Hooper C Dunlop S Mansfield T Lang. Goals (FREMANTLE C.B.C): J Kenny J Austin. Umpires: L Retallack S Scott P St Quintin

At HIF Health Insurance Oval

TAs women rise to the top

Trinity Aquinas’ unprecedented surge to the peak of the PFL Women’s mountain is now complete, the Boomers sewing up the Budget Car and Truck Rental A Grade title by eight points on Saturday night against University under the lights of HIF Health Insurance Oval.

The win was the Boomers’ fourth straight premiership, climbing up from C2 in 2023 and a grand final defeat in C3 the year prior.

A brutal tackle from best-on-ground recipient Madeline Booth inside 50 secured a holding-the-ball free kick in the dying seconds for Trinity Aquinas, confirming the win. Booth played an important role as a ruck all day, providing a mobile option around the ground in a contested game built on repeat stoppages.

Mikenna Schultz and Amanda Schlaepfer’s performances were other high points for TAs in their win.

In a game where only three goals were scored, Paige Bower’s two majors proved the difference, both the Boomers attacker’s majors coming consecutively within minutes of each other. Bower’s last major was a particular gem, a long-range goal halfway through the second that gave her side a lead they would hold until the final siren.

Playing in cold conditions and a howling crosswind, the Boomers had 11 inside 50s in the first quarter but could not trouble the scorers as University’s dogged defence continued to repel their attacking attempts.

Rolling stoppages and repeated lasso free kicks were frequent in the tense encounter as both teams provided physicality around the football.

University would go up the other end to score the game’s opener through Cassie Davidson, the forward snapping a classy goal from 30 metres to give her side an early advantage.

The premiership term was a scoreless one as the Boomers held onto their seven-point halftime lead despite the Stormers winning clearances 13-3.

One of her side’s focal points all day, University captain Talietha Valentine was flattened in a strong tackle in the quarter, one of multiple bruising contests in the term as players willed themselves into action.

Territory, time and the weather began to play against Uni in the final term as rain began to tumble down as the game reached its conclusion.

The loss ended their hopes of securing a third A Grade Women’s premiership and back-to-back titles following their win over Baldivis in last season’s decider.

SCOREBOARD

TRINITY AQUINAS 0.0 2.1 2.1 2.4 (16)

UNIVERSITY 1.0 1.1 1.1 1.2 (8)

Best (TRINITY AQUINAS): M Booth M Schultz A Schlaepfer P Bower Best (UNIVERSITY): I Foletta T Valentine H Taylor C Davidson

Goals (TRINITY AQUINAS): P Bower 2 (UNIVERSITY): C Davidson

Umpires: S Martin J Lorusso J Archer

At HIF Health Insurance Oval

University overcomes slow start to win Phil Scott flag

University nearly went goalless in the first half of Saturday morning’s EGT Phil Scott Colts Grand Final but mobilised after halftime to defeat Trinity Aquinas by 33 points at HIF Health Insurance Oval.

It was a shaky start by the minor premiers before their frenetic pressure and contest wore down the gallant Boomers in the second half, scoring six goals to one in the second half to win 8.5 (53) to 3.2 (20).

The triumph ensured a record-extending 11th Phil Scott Colts flag for University, with co-captains Max Burbury and Jed Hewitt leading the way for their team. Midfielder Burbury was named best afield, while Hewitt was composed in defence despite being under siege for a majority of the game.

Clancy Banfield stood up in the second half and kicked three for the premiers, including a sealer with just minutes to play.

Trinity Aquinas had the early dominance but could not stamp it onto the scoreboard.

Fed by a tidy handball from teammate Harry Goersch, power forward Finn Dethlefsen emerged from a pack to curl through a snap, giving TAs the opening major with just minutes remaining in the first term.

It ended a stalemate opening to the grand final, marred by slippery conditions and intense pressure from both sides.

Julian Crognale gave TAs their second and an early buffer on the minor premiers by winning a holding-the-ball free at the top of the arc.

Like the first quarter, the second term was characterised by consistent turnovers from both sides, as both repelled each other’s attacks inside 50 even as the drizzly weather stopped.

It looked like University might have a goalless opening half until winger Hudson Hammond got on the end of a handball in the square to give them their first major in nearly 37 minutes of action.

Within a flash, they had a second through a speedy centre clearance by midfielder Toby Jones and a clinical finish on the run from the pocket by Elliot Cooper, giving them an unlikely halftime lead.

Some perilous ball movement exiting their defensive half threatened to see University concede to begin the third. But the league’s top-ranked backline stood firm from continuous peppering by their opponents.

Jaxon Douglas did what the Boomers forwards could not manage, taking a spectacular mark and finishing calmly from directly in front to give University their third straight.

Further goals to Banfield and another to Douglas to begin the last quarter all but pushed the low-scoring game into Uni’s hands, extending their 20-point three-quarter time advantage.

Their second grand final defeat to University in four years means Trinity Aquinas’ Phil Scott titles drought now extends to 14 years.

SCOREBOARD

UNIVERSITY 0.1 2.3 4.4 8.5 (53)

TRINITY AQUINAS 1.1 2.1 2.2 3.2 (20)

Best (UNIVERSITY):  M Burbury C Banfield J Hewitt T Jones. Best (TRINITY AQUINAS): J Crognale W Norman M Allen J Kirby

Goals (UNIVERSITY): C Banfield 3 J Douglas 2 H Hammond E Cooper W Oakley

Goals (TRINITY AQUINAS): J Crognale F Dethlefsen K Harbrow

Umpires: F Marshall C Shepperbottom T Adams

At HIF Health Insurance Oval

Tigers scrape home for repeat A Reserves title

North Beach’s stranglehold on the A Reserves competition continued, claiming a second straight premiership over University in a thrilling two-point victory at HIF Health Insurance Oval.

An Alex Thompson goal to start the final term was the only Tigers major of the quarter as they held on to win the low-scoring tussle 5.7 (37) to 5.5 (35). 

The victory came after the Tigers were dealt a blow in the third when ruck Matt Germs landed awkwardly in a ruck contest.

It was their eighth Budget Car and Truck Rental A Reserves flag since 2017.

North Beach’s Josh Maccarrone was awarded best on ground honours, providing a damaging inside option for the Tigers.

A massive mark on the goal line to big man Fraser Hyatt gave University a chance with minutes remaining, trailing by under a goal. The ball was camped in their 50 as the siren sounded, with their appeals for a free kick in the dying moments remaining in vain.

North Beach’s early and intense pressure paid off with the opening goal through tall forward Nic Emes, followed by a second from Tom Rance to give them a sharp start.

The first quarter was all Tigers, with their tackling intensity proving too much for University early on.

But Patrick Donovan gave Uni a much-needed settler with the last disposal of the quarter, receiving a handball in the square to pop through his side’s first to enter the break trailing by five.

The bruising hits from North Beach continued in the second term, as Maccarrone bodied out an opponent and slammed through a goal from 50 to extend his side’s lead.

It marked a momentum swing in the quarter, with University getting much-needed goals from Sean Trombetta and Tim O’Hara to bring the margin back to two points at half-time.

Just like in the opening term, Uni had answers for every North Beach question thrown at them, moving the ball quickly into attack through repetitive handball chains across the large playing surface of HIF Health Insurance Oval.

Both teams had chances to break through for a major to begin the third, but University were the ones to throw the third term’s first punch, O’Hara kicking his second set shot to give his side the lead for the first time all game.

But Harry O’Sullivan slotted a reply shortly after and let University know it, sparking a fiery confrontation from the opposition. The Tigers held the lead from then on.

North Beach took the scenic route to the decider through the preliminary final after they lost to their grand final opponents in the second semi-final, but backed up their 2025 title in style on Grand Final day.

SCOREBOARD

UNIVERSITY 1.1 3.1 4.3 5.5 (35)

NORTH BEACH 2.0 3.3 4.5 5.7 (37)

Best (UNIVERSITY):  J Just S Trombetta P Donovan H Burbury Best (NORTH BEACH): J Maccarrone J Moreschini D McCarthy M Germs

Goals (UNIVERSITY): T O’Hara 2 S Trombetta P Donovan F Hyatt

Goals (NORTH BEACH): T Emes T Rance J Maccarrone H O’Sullivan A Thompson

Umpires: A Markusic K Hoody R Vallelonga

At HIF Health Insurance Oval

By Spencer Robertson