It took a gargantuan effort from another of the league’s titans to overthrow them, though.
Lancaster finally ended the Hoppers’ reign on Saturday, avenging last season’s grand final heartbreak to deny Murchison-Toolamba an attempt at a third straight title, the Wombats instead advancing to earn a shot at redemption with a thrilling 9.7 (61) to 9.6 (60) victory at Undera Recreation Reserve.
It is a big tick for coach Nick Ryan, who - along with his band of players - outlined a return to the decider as a big goal this season.
“It’s obviously what we set out to do, especially after last year, to get back there and give ourselves another opportunity,” he said.
“So, it’s nice to just be back in that position and, yeah, be having another crack at it.”
For much of the first half, it looked certain that the Wombats would be the ones lining up against Nagambie at Mooroopna Recreation Reserve with the cup on the line.
Kicking five straight goals to the Hoppers’ 2.2 gave Lancaster the dream start they were after, racing out to a 30-14 lead at the first break, and while the reigning premier steadied in the second, the Wombats matched them.
Each scoring 2.2 in the second term, Lancaster preserved its quarter-time lead heading into the main break, and looked as though they were well in control with a 7.2 (44) to 4.4 (28) advantage.
You can’t underestimate a champion side, though, and the Hoppers came out swinging in the premiership quarter.
The firm grip on the contest that the Wombats enjoyed in the first half went limp, and Murchison-Toolamba fired three times in quick succession to level the scores less than 10 minutes into the third quarter.
By the end of it, they were ahead, booting the final major of the term to make it four unanswered after half time, as Lancaster stared down a 47-53 deficit at the final huddle.
With all the momentum against them, Ryan urged his players to take the game on, sensing they had lapsed into a casual mode given their half time lead.
“It was probably more so just going back to the way we played through that first half,” he said of the message at three-quarter time.
“We probably got a little bit complacent.
“We had a lot of games during the year where we were getting comfortable wins, and I think it becomes a little bit instinctive to just have those lapses.
“So, (I just had to) remind them that, hey, the way we played that first half, we were far and above the better side, let's get back to playing that brand of footy for this last quarter and we can get the job done.”
It took less than a minute in the final term for the Wombats to erase the deficit, and though a tight and contested final term ensued, a major with 15 minutes gone gave them the lead, from which they wouldn’t be headed.
Despite a last gasp goal to the Hoppers which cut the margin to a point, the Wombats emerged victorious, with Zac Cerrone named best afield for his industrious work through the midfield, while Logan Demasi was the pick of a rock solid defensive unit to be named second best.
Lancaster now turns its attention to a second consecutive grand final appearance and a blockbuster match-up against Nagambie on Saturday, where they will look to go one better than their runner-up finish last season.
“We take (the nerves and pressure of this week) on board,” Ryan said.
“We've had the experience, this is our fourth grand final in six years, I think, so we know what to expect.
“We know you get the nerves, but they're not a bad thing, and in saying that, we’ve put last year behind us.
“We came into this season going, it doesn't matter what we've achieved over the last five years, none of that counts towards the ladder this year or to finals.
“So, we take that similar mindset into a grand final.
“It's a new season, it's a new opponent, and we're full of confidence that we can get get the job done.“
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