After a tight semi-final loss to Shepparton United, the reigning premier Lions were made to line up for a third straight final, this time against second-placed Euroa on Sunday at Deakin Reserve, prevailing 40-38 in stunning circumstances to keep their bid for consecutive flags alive.
Getting off to a strong start, the Lions went ahead by four goals midway through the opening term, before eventually settling into an 11-8 lead at quarter time.
The margin soon became six as Seymour continued to hum along early in the second term, with Mia Allen and Chloe Locke proving formidable inside the circle and shooting with great accuracy to put the Lions ahead 15-9.
But with a spot in the decider on the line, the Magpies hit back hard, pouring in nine of the final 13 goals of the half to pull back within one by the half-time break, and though Seymour still led 19-18, it was Euroa with all the momentum.
The interval did nothing to halt that momentum, either, as the Magpies surged ahead in the third term, at one stage opening up a 27-22 lead on the eve of three-quarter time, though a late flurry of goals courtesy of Allen and Lyndel Feery saw the Lions crucially trim the deficit to trail by two at the final change, 25-27.
It was a back and forth start to the final term, with Seymour challenging and moving within one goal on multiple occasions, though Euroa seemed to have all the answers, staving off the Lions’ charge and extending the lead back to four goals at 33-29 with six minutes remaining in the game.
Seymour threw a series of tactical changes in a last ditch attempt to wrestle back the deficit, with Chloe Locke going back into goal shooter and Sophie Locke moving to goalkeeper, and against the odds, began to reel the Magpies in.
In fact, not only did the Lions reel them in, but surpassed them, too, as Chloe Locke took over down the stretch, finishing off the brilliant work of her teammates up the court to pour in five unanswered goals, powering Seymour into a 34-33 lead with mere moments left on the clock.
At the death, though, the Magpies found a score, levelling it up at 34 apiece and sending the contest into extra time.
Having found her range, though, Chloe Locke continued to shoot without fear, sinking all six of the Lions’ extra time goals to power past the Magpies, going ahead 40-38 at the final whistle and progressing into this weekend’s grand final.
The victory ensures Seymour also takes its premiership defence to the final day of the season, setting up a scintillating rematch between the Lions and Demons, with the pair split by only two goals in the second semi-final a fortnight ago.
The B reserve side also remains the only Seymour side in contention for the ultimate prize, following the B grade Lions’ preliminary final loss at the weekend.
Having finished fifth, the B grade Lions won consecutive cut-throat finals against Shepparton United and Echuca in week one and two, respectively, earning a shot at a second consecutive grand final berth when they lined up against Euroa on Sunday at Deakin Reserve.
But the minor premier proved too strong in the end, getting the jump on the Lions to lead 13-12 at the first break and pulled away as the game wore on, extending the margin to as much as six goals at the final change, and while the Lions pegged back some of that margin, they were unable to overcome the Magpies in the final term, going down 41-45 to bring their season to a close.
The B Reserve Lions will look to clinch consecutive premierships this Sunday, September 20, at Deakin Reserve in Shepparton, where they will face Shepparton United at 11.45am in the grand final.
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