GVL ǀ Gallery ǀ Seymour mounts thrilling fourth-quarter comeback in B-grade grand final classic

By James Kleeman

Sep 25, 2022

Party time: Seymour celebrates its B-grade grand final victory. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

Six goals.

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That is the deficit Seymour’s B-grade side faced minutes into the final quarter of Sunday’s Goulburn Valley League grand final against Rochester.

The Lions proved no mountain is high enough for them, as they staged one of the more thrilling fourth-quarter comebacks to surge to premiership glory.

Ruby Martin proved the hero for her side, slotting the match-winning goal on the buzzer to seal the historic 43-42 triumph.

Seymour coach Kelly Smith said her side seemed to regather itself when the game looked to be escaping it.

“It was an awesome win and it was hard-fought,” Smith said.

“I think they really gained their composure towards the end, they were five or six goals down at one point, but they just settled and found some rhythm.

“Credit to them, a lot of these players have been playing together for a really long time and it showed today.”

In what was an arm-wrestle throughout, Rochester managed to find some ascendancy in the second quarter and hit the front after Seymour had the game on its terms early.

League best-and-fairest winner and the Tigers’ star shooter Annie Hughes helped drag momentum back Rochester’s way, but both sides were unwilling to budge and would enter half-time 21-21.

Rochester would keep the game on its terms in the second, putting up 13 goals to Seymour’s 10, before a hot start in the final quarter looked to have put the game to bed.

But Seymour would ensure its club stalwart, Lyndel O’Sullivan, who ticked off her 250th game in the decider, would celebrate her milestone in style.

Best-on-court Martin with class midcourt support from Olivia Barry and captain Andrea McKenzie dragged their side back into the game to square it up in the dying stages 42-42.

A crucial turnover quickly found its way to Martin, who, after being initially fouled, kept her composure to net the match-winning goal right on the siren.

“I think there was a whole team will today, but Ruby Martin just stood tall, they can’t compete with her in the air, her strength and her ability to keep going, and just the strength in her mind is awesome,” Smith said.

“She was exceptional and she always stands tall and she does it with a smile on her face.

“I’m just so proud of all of them, they all did an awesome job.”