06/09/2026
🏑 LUCAS HC – GRAND FINAL DAY 2026 🏑
What a way to finish the 2026 season!
Five Lucas HC teams took to the pitch on Grand Final Day, from our Under 11s first thing in the morning through to our Division 2 Men bringing the curtain down on a huge day for the Club.
Once again, a massive thank you to Kerryn Parkinson for capturing some fantastic images of our teams, players and supporters across Grand Final Day!
Here’s how Grand Final Day unfolded...
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🏑 Under 11s Vs Bobcats Maroon
Once again, our Under 11s delivered when the pressure was on, producing one of their best team performances of the season in a thrilling 1-1 Grand Final draw against minor premiers Bobcats Maroon.
The Lucas HC defence was under plenty of pressure early, with Annabelle Rowland at her tenacious best and goalkeeper Evora Davis making a series of important saves.
As the game settled, the dynamic duo of Noah Gambino and Heidi Shepherd helped change the momentum. Lucas HC began spending considerably more time in attack, with Ruby Hargreaves producing perhaps her most influential performance of the season and Kushil Niwas doing an excellent job helping keep the ball in the attacking half.
With the scores locked at 0-0 at half-time, the stage was set for a tense finish.
Jonte Pougnault made his presence felt through the midfield, while Jonny Hargreaves continued to find space in attack. Midway through the second half, Heidi Shepherd finally broke the deadlock with a superb long-range goal.
Bobcats Maroon showed why they finished as minor premiers, pushing hard and finding an equaliser with less than five minutes remaining.
Lucas HC continued to attack in search of a winner, but the Bobcats defence held firm and the game finished 1-1. Under the competition rules, Bobcats Maroon were awarded the premiership based on their higher end-of-season ladder position.
Our Under 11s could hardly have finished their season in better fashion. Even under Grand Final pressure, they trusted their trademark passing game and produced perhaps their most even team performance of the year, with every player making an important contribution.
Goal: Heidi Shepherd.
Congratulations also to Heidi Shepherd, who was awarded Best-on-Ground in the Grand Final by the umpires. A fantastic achievement!
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🏑 Under 14s Vs Blaze Orange
Our Under 14s faced the toughest assignment in the competition, taking on an undefeated Blaze Orange side in their Grand Final.
Lucas HC certainly wasn’t overawed by the occasion, competing strongly from the outset and generating a couple of early scoring opportunities before Blaze Orange opened the scoring.
Oakley Oxlade and Noah Gambino were superb defensively, making their opponents work hard for opportunities, while Jordan Shepherd, Toby Dean and Mietta Gambino were productive through the midfield. Their work provided Heidi Shepherd, Mack Hargreaves and Xavier Parkinson with opportunities in attack.
Trailing 0-3 at half-time, Lucas HC came out determined to make an impact in the second half.
A penalty corner goal to Jordan Shepherd provided the reward and breathed some life into the contest, with Lucas HC quickly earning another two penalty corner opportunities.
Morgan Edgar and Ryan Parkinson both finished the match strongly and were important contributors to an excellent second-half showing.
Blaze Orange ultimately claimed the premiership with a 5-1 victory, but there was plenty for Lucas HC to be proud of. In fact, our Under 14s may well have produced their most complete team performance of the season on Grand Final Day – and there aren’t many better times to play your best hockey!
Goal: Jordan Shepherd.
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🏑 Under 16s Vs Blaze
Our Under 16 Grand Final was an intriguing contest, with momentum shifting between Lucas HC and Blaze throughout the match.
Lucas HC started superbly. Caleb Hiller and Henry Beechey controlled the midfield, allowing Harley Shepherd and Lachie Hargreaves to find plenty of the ball in attack.
In the blink of an eye, Lucas HC had raced to a 2-0 lead, with Lucas Jones, Morgan Edgar and Reuben Pougnault all playing important roles in the excellent start.
But you can never discount an opponent in a Grand Final.
Blaze lifted late in the first half, scoring twice in the final five minutes to send the teams into the break level at 2-2.
What followed was an incredibly even second half. Blaze eventually found the breakthrough to take a 3-2 lead, leaving Lucas HC chasing the game.
The Lucas HC midfield and attack threw everything at finding an equaliser as the clock wound down, but a disciplined Blaze defence refused to give way.
Blaze eventually took the premiership by the narrowest of margins, 3-2.
A tough result for our Under 16s, but an outstanding contest and another Lucas HC team that could walk from the pitch knowing they had given everything in the biggest game of the season.
Goals: Harley Shepherd, Lachie Hargreaves.
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🏑 Division 1 Men Vs EGC
The entertaining, high-scoring Division 1 finals series continued right through to the Grand Final, with Lucas HC and EGC producing another action-packed contest.
Lucas HC started in compelling fashion, with Hayden Staggard, Nathan Hargreaves and Lachie Hargreaves providing plenty of ball from midfield into the attacking circle.
Michael Churcher opened the scoring with a clinical penalty corner conversion before EGC responded with the next three goals to establish a two-goal advantage.
Lucas HC continued to create chances, with James Van der Schyff and Tom Batchelor threatening the EGC defence. Ryan Geddes and Zoe Klopak provided plenty of counter-attacking drive, while the hard-running Traiyth Leffler gave Lucas HC width going forward.
Late goals in the second quarter to Van der Schyff and Nathan Hargreaves saw Lucas HC fight all the way back to 3-3 at half-time.
The third quarter ultimately proved decisive. EGC converted its opportunities to re-establish a two-goal advantage, while Lucas HC continued to generate chances but repeatedly found the EGC defence standing in the way.
A sixth EGC goal midway through the final quarter put the result beyond reach, but Lucas HC continued attacking until the final whistle in an effort to breathe some late life into the contest.
EGC taking out an entertaining Grand Final 6-3.
Goals: Michael Churcher, Nathan Hargreaves, James Van der Schyff.
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🏑 Division 2 Men Vs Grampians
And then there was one more game to play...
Based on the two close contests between Lucas HC and Grampians during the home-and-away season, the Division 2 Grand Final had all the ingredients of a blockbuster.
The opening stages certainly lived up to that billing. Neither side could gain a clear advantage, with both midfields making it difficult to pe*****te the attacking circles.
Towards the end of the opening quarter, Lucas HC began creating turnovers through the excellent work of Caleb Hiller, Damon Shepherd and Henry Beechey. That eventually released Andy Marshall for a one-on-one with the Grampians goalkeeper – and Marshall made no mistake to open the scoring.
Lucas HC continued to build in the second quarter. Liv Hargreaves, Reuben Pougnault, Lachie Naylor, Lucas Jones and Harley Shepherd began finding more of the ball, while Luke Pougnault, Michael Van Dord and goalkeeper Nick Hargreaves combined beautifully in defence to shut down Grampians' attacking moves.
Damon Shepherd converted a penalty corner rebound to make it 2-0 before Grampians responded. A late Jason Hargreaves goal restored the two-goal advantage heading into half-time.
Then came a third quarter to remember.
Lucas HC produced arguably its best hockey of the entire season. Beechey and Hiller dominated through the midfield, while Mack Hargreaves and Jordan Shepherd made excellent use of the space in attack.
Three goals – to Marshall, Damon Shepherd and Hiller – were the reward for a flawless quarter of hockey.
Marshall then completed his Grand Final hat-trick early in the fourth with a genuine contender for goal of the year!
Grampians continued to attack and added two late goals of their own, but this was Lucas HC’s day.
Final score: Lucas HC 7, Grampians 3.
Premiers in their first season!
Goals: Andy Marshall 3, Damon Shepherd 2, Jason Hargreaves, Caleb Hiller.
Congratulations also to Damon Shepherd, who was awarded Best-on-Ground by the umpires after an outstanding Grand Final performance.
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🏆 HOCKEY BALLARAT AWARDS 🏆
Grand Final Day also brought some fantastic individual recognition for Lucas HC, with three Club members receiving major Hockey Ballarat Association awards for their outstanding 2026 seasons.
Congratulations to:
🏑 Seb Pougnault – Annie Anderson Best Goalkeeper Award
🏑 Jordan Shepherd – Under 14 Best and Fairest
🏑 Ryan Geddes – Michael Poulton Medal, Men’s Division 1 Best and Fairest
Three fantastic achievements and thoroughly deserved recognition for brilliant seasons. Congratulations Seb, Jordan and Ryan!
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💜 MORE THAN THE SCOREBOARD 💜
And with that, another Lucas HC season comes to an end.
Grand Finals are special. They are exciting to play in, fantastic to win and, as we experienced a few times on Saturday, pretty tough to lose.
But premierships have never been the most important measure of success at Lucas HC.
Success is the player who has found the confidence to execute a skill they wouldn’t have attempted at the start of the year.
It’s juniors stepping up to play senior hockey alongside teammates they once watched from the sidelines.
It’s parents, partners, families and friends spending their weekends at the hockey ground.
It’s coaches, managers, umpires and volunteers giving their time so others can enjoy the game.
It’s the friendships formed on the pitch and on the sidelines.
It’s welcoming new people into our Club, watching young players develop, seeing experienced players pass on what they know, and having generations of families sharing the same love of hockey.
That’s what makes Lucas HC successful.
Well done to all members and supporters on another very successful season for Lucas Hockey Club!
