Senior Grand Final Recap and Photos
23 September, 2026
Collegians 10.19 (79) def. De La Salle 9.13 (67)
Best Players:
Kenny Ong, Campbell Walker, Hugh Johnson, Will Pewtress, Max Pinchbeck, Will Oakley-Kerr
Undefeated. Invincible. History makers.
If you removed the strong breeze at Trevor Barker Oval, you would have had almost the perfect day for football. Unfortunately, the breeze stayed and turned what could have been a spectacle of fast, free-flowing footy into a scrap until one team finally budged.
To De La Salle’s credit, as mentioned in our match preview, they didn’t budge all day. Collegians were made to fight tooth and nail and dig deeper than we had been required to all season to find a result.
We were relatively happy with how the game looked in the opening quarter. We registered seven scoring shots and were only one inside-50 entry down, but some ill-discipline resulted in 10 free kicks for the quarter and gave De La opportunities to capitalise. At the first break, we found ourselves 20 points behind.
As they had done all year, our men adapted. A strong second quarter produced four goals while, more importantly, keeping De La Salle scoreless. An 11-point half-time lead gave us the opportunity to reassess the game and reinforce the importance of our effort around the contest, knowing it would set us up for one final push later in the afternoon.
Campbell Walker’s third quarter was one to remember. Tough at the contest with six contested possessions and four clearances, the skipper continually drove us forward, supported early by a Hugh Johnson goal.
We remained composed when De La had their chances, before a final-minute passage found the ball in the hands of Alex Lukic. As the breeze softened just before his kick, Lukic went back and slotted it, giving us a huge boost heading into three-quarter time.
The margin was four points. The breeze picked up again, and the King got to work.
The eventual best-on-ground showed exactly why he is one of the great Collegians players, winning contested footy and clearances when the game demanded it. Goals to Sam Parsons and Max Pinchbeck gave us some breathing room, but an end-to-end De La goal reduced the margin to just five points deep into time-on.
Both teams were out on their feet. We won the next clearance and forced a stoppage inside 50 with less than a minute remaining.
Pinchbeck was first to the ball, but it spilled to De La, who quickly moved it towards the wing through a chain of handballs.
Then came the moment.
As De La looked to move the ball back through the corridor, number six, Jordan Carroll, read it perfectly. He intercepted at pace, took two quick steps and launched from 55 metres.
“Long-range goal! Jordan Carroll the hero!”
The Collegians faithful behind the goals at the famous Saunter End erupted. Hundreds more on the hill rose as one. The noise, emotion and passion of generations of Collegians people created a moment in our history that will live on for a very long time.
But there was still a job to finish.
Back to the middle we went. Defending with the toughness, grit and effort that had defined both the day and this team, Sam Frost helped force one final turnover in defence.
Then the siren sounded.
Undefeated. Invincible. History makers. Back in A Grade — and premiers.
There are too many people to thank individually. Collegians is a club made up of hundreds of people who devote their time, effort and passion to making it what it is.
We could not be prouder to see our boys return to the top flight as undefeated premiers.
Bring on 2027. 🦁
Photos below by Bruce Tobin
