Football
11 September, 2025
Southern Roos and Bombers ready for premiership glory
Harrow Balmoral and Noradjuha Quantong’s senior football sides will battle in the Horsham District Football Netball League grand final for the second year in a row this Saturday at Natimuk Showground.
The 2024 grand final saw an undefeated Harrow Balmoral side prevail 52-39, and this Saturday’s grand final offers a potential piece of history for both sides.
Harrow Balmoral have the chance to win three straight premierships for the first time since the club’s merger.
Conversely, Noradjuha Quantong are yet to win a premiership since their merger in 1997, but the Bombers’ 2025 season indicates this is their best chance yet.
Noradjuha Quantong were the dominant team in the 2025 home and away season, with their only loss being a one-point defeat to Kaniva Leeor United.
Harrow Balmoral, however, did not dominate as they had done in 2023 and 2024, with Noradjuha Quantong ending the Southern Roos’ 42-game win streak.
But after overcoming injuries to key players, the reigning premiers finished the season in top form before eventually defeating the Bombers by 11 points in the semifinal two weeks ago to earn their grand final spot.
Jai Thompson, coach of Harrow Balmoral, says his side has done everything possible to give itself the chance at three consecutive premierships.
“The repeat is something we've really spoken about throughout the year, and it's a position where it's very tough to get back to,” Thompson said.
“So we made a big focus on the fact that it wasn't just another grand final, that we were breaking brick walls, doing everything we can to make sure we try and utilise this opportunity.
“We'll throw everything at it on the weekend, and if it happens to come our way, if it happens not to go our way, we know that we've given everything we can for the season, and it hasn't just been another one of those seasons.”
Harrow Balmoral enter Saturday at full health, with Thompson acknowledging that their injury struggles throughout the season have allowed the team greater optionality at lineup adjustments.
“We had a lot of key personnel out in the middle of the year, and I think it made us stronger at the end of the year with blokes having to step up and play different roles and gave us a lot of versatility throughout the lineup,” Thompson said.
“So that's been a real strength of ours towards the backend of the year, putting guys in new positions they weren't used to, but positions they got good at throughout that period.
“We played Noradjuha Quantong two weeks ago, and there’s going to be things that we may change in our game plan, and there’ll be things they change in theirs, and I think it’s a matter of adapting to the way the opposition plays and trying to play with the structure you want to play.”
Damian Cameron, coach of Noradjuha Quantong, says his team is full of belief after the season they’ve had, acknowledging a full-team effort across the four quarters will be necessary to defeat Harrow Balmoral.
“It gives us a huge amount of confidence knowing we’ve only lost two games for the year and both by under two goals,” Cameron said.
“Going up against a full-strength Harrow Balmoral, we know how dominant they can be.
“We played a reasonable first half against him in the semi, and then let him off the leash for a little bit, and you could see what they can do, so it’s going to take a four-quarter effort.”
Cameron added that his side’s forwards will need to step up following their semifinal.
“Everyone knows our forward line's pretty potent, but I think that was probably our weakness in the semifinal,” Cameron said.
“They failed to fire, and we probably let Harrow Balmoral’s backmen take control of the ball when it was in there.
“So the forwards all know that they need to stand up from that game, and they started a little bit slow in the prelim on the weekend, but did really well later on.”
The Bombers enter Saturday with an injury cloud key halfback Wade Francis, but Thompson says his side is expecting him to play, identifying him as a critical player.
“Regardless of whether he plays or not, I think we'll plan for Wade Francis to be playing,” Thompson said.
“I think he's really important to their setup across that halfback.
“I just think he runs a lot of their drive and a lot of their supply off that end of the ground, so being able to put a bit of time into him could be an option for us.”
The seniors' grand final will kick off at 2.40 pm.