Leopold’s stunning finals record shows grand final win was inevitable as Lions stars, those who missed last year’s flag shine

South Barwon was in the game up its eyeballs, but the Lions securing back-to-back premierships felt like a foregone conclusion. Here is why.

Leopold players celebrate on the dais. Picture: Mike Dugdale

There was an air of inevitability about the result even when South Barwon was in the game up to its eyeballs the main break.

And not just because Leopold had won eight of its previous nine matches against South Barwon.

Under Garry Hocking, Leopold just don’t do not lose finals.

Over the last three years, Leopold has played in 11 finals and lost just one. That solitary defeat was the 2022 grand final against a dominant St Mary’s side.

It is an incredible record that adds to Hocking’s legacy as a coach where he has been able to inspire players all over the country — finishing with a premiership at the venue he tore up as a Geelong champion.

The Swans got the margin back to eight points in the third quarter and gave the Lions some jitters after kicking two goals in a flash late in the piece.

But Leopold’s impenetrable defence and master tactician Hocking held the fort before that spirited fightback from the Swans.

Coach Garry Hocking and premiership captain Marcus Thompson. with the cup. Picture: Mike Dugdale

South Barwon spearhead Fraser Fort threatened to take the game by the scruff of the neck when he slammed home the first goal of the game out of the ruck, but he was well held from thereon by stopper Tristan Thompson.

Same goes for his partner in crime Matt Caldow, who Tevan Nofi wore like a cheap suit the entire day.

The Swans captain fought hard until the very end but was kept goalless by interceptor Tevan Nofi until the 15th minute mark of the last term when the game was over.

Defensive general Harris Jennings also played a pivotal role mopping up South Barwon forays forward.

But it wasn’t just the familiar names like those defeners, inaugural Frank Fopiani medallist Brock Williamson, Ollie Tate — who starred in his first game since round 16 — captain Marcus Thompson and last year’s grand final BOG Logan Wagener who took the game away from South Barwon.

Four players who weren’t out there for Leopold’s 2023 premiership in Jake Pitt, James Edmonds, Tate Porter and Tom Feely all had a significant influence.

In the attacking half, Pitt was setting up goals, laying crunching tackles and fittingly kicked the sealing final goal of the match, Edmonds kicked two goals – one of those from a big contested mark in the last.

Leopold's Jake Pitt runs down South Barwon's Paddy Kelly. Picture: Mike Dugdale

Feely provided his usual intensity offensively and defensively throughout, while Tate Porter won plenty of the Sherrin in the clinches.

Pitt, Feely and Edmonds were all part of the 2022 premiership defeat.

Pitt cruelly missed the 2023 flag after taking the year off footy, Edmonds was part Leopold’s losing reserves grand final side last year and also played the Lions’ first final in the reserves this season.

Feely spent last season with Geelong’s VFL side and Porter suffered grand final defeat by four points for Merrivale in the Warrnambool and District league.

Now, all four can party into the night.

So can ‘Buddha’, who will put his head on the pillow each night knowing he has turned Leopold into a powerhouse GFNL club.

Originally published as Leopold’s stunning finals record shows grand final win was inevitable as Lions stars, those who missed last year’s flag shine