Yeppoon wins AFL Capricornia women’s grand final

The women’s A-Grade Yeppoon Swans are celebrating after a close win over the Rockhampton Panthers on Saturday.

The Yeppoon Swans women provided a “bloody good send-off” for their retiring captain Lauren Moss with their nail-biting AFL Capricornia grand final win.

The Swans won 5.4-34 to 6.1-37 against the Rockhampton Panthers who, after a slow start, pushed the premiers to the final hooter.

As it was last year, it was double celebrations for Yeppoon, whose men continued their stranglehold on the competition, winning their ninth straight flag.

But they, too, had to overcome a serious challenge from BITS Saints who came out firing on their home ground, only to be beaten by six points.

Both senior finals produced quality football and had spectators on the edge of their seats.

It was Yeppoon who were fast out of the blocks in the women’s decider, up by 13 points at the first break.

But Panthers kicked into action in the second and by three quarter time had their noses in front by three points.

Yeppoon sealed it with a major - and the only points of the quarter - to claim back-to-back titles.

For Moss, the win was incredibly special and was a showcase of the players’ drive and determination.

“We’ve worked hard all year, and we’ve come a little bit unstuck in the last few games but we were here to fight, so that’s what we did,” she said.

A victorious Yeppoon team after their battle with the Panthers.

“Everything we had ... we gave it in that last quarter.”

An emotional Moss said it was a “bloody good send-off” and “exactly what she was after”.

The Panthers also showed plenty of character and it was their player Hayley Richmond who won the Borg Family Medal for best on ground.

The Yeppoon men’s captain, Matt Wallin, rated his team’s ninth consecutive preiership win as their best yet.

“We held on for five points in the last quarter,” he said.

“We knew it was going to be tough with the home crowd, and they came out really strong.”

“It was all about weathering the storm. We spoke about controlling the tempo after the frantic first quarter.

“Jake King, who was best on ground, was enormous across the backline.”

The winning grand final game was also Jake King’s 100th game for the Swans.