SYC Blue's Axel Irwin is among those who has helped his side to earn a Grand Final spot.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Shepparton Youth Club’s Blue contingent booked its Goulburn Valley Hockey Association men’s league grand final place with an emphatic victory over inter-club rival SYC Yellow.
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Despite the Yellows having been the dominant side in the division across the home-and-away campaign, finishing top of the standings after 12 games, their Blue counterparts had reason to be confident of springing an upset in the semi-finals.
Descending on Shepparton Regional Hockey Complex on August 29 for what promised to be a compelling derby clash, the battle certainly lived up to its billing.
The GVHA’s two standout sides across 2026 provided an entertaining spectacle for those gathered down at the Numurkah Road venue, playing out a 5-4 thriller as the underdogs eventually prevailed.
SYC Yellow's Andrew Mangelsdorf, pictured, will be among those hoping to put things right in the preliminary final.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
In the other semi-final fixture, Shepparton Strikers Red got the better of its inter-club foe by edging another entertaining grudge match, this time defeating the Strikers Blue in a 3-2 statement victory.
This set of results mean that SYC Blue has already guaranteed its place in September 12’s Grand Final, which will take place at Shepparton Regional Hockey Complex from 2pm that day.
Meanwhile, home-and-away league minor premiers SYC Yellow will have a chance to put things right following its semi-final slip-up, starting with the preliminary final clash against the Shepparton Strikers Red on September 5.
Elsewhere in the SVHA women’s draw, Mooroopna clinched the minor premiership in the final fixture of the home-and-away season with a 6-0 win over the Shepp Strikers, as Echuca-Moama finished as runner-up after a 4-0 victory over SYC.
The semi-finals will ensue on September 5 at Shepparton Regional Hockey Complex, starting with Mooroopna versus SYC, followed by Echuca-Moama against the Shepp Strikers.
The women’s grand final is slated to take place the following week on September 12.
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