By Kieran Yap 3/8/26
Above: Essendon lift the 2026 Nike Fc Cup. Photo: Football Victoria.
Essendon Royals have claimed their first major trophy after defeating Heidelberg United 4-1 in the Nike FC Cup Final. Maggie Jenkins and Kelli McGroarty both scored a brace for The Royals while Heidelberg scored as late consolation goal through Mischa Anderson’s penalty.
Although both sides have had mixed league form with Heidelberg in mid table, and Essendon pushing for the title, both had impressive runs to the Cup final. Heidelberg have defeated South Melbourne and Avondale FC, while Essendon put the sword to Bulleen Lions in a high scoring semi final.
Essendon’s league form has been imperious, but they are not unbeatable, and Heidelberg took the game to them early with both teams looking to set the tone.
In a moment of mixed fortune, Heidelberg’s most promising moment provided the spark for Essendon’s first goal. Sarah Assumma’s run was halted by Essendon captain Mikaela Jurcic, who received a yellow card for the foul.
The resulting free-kick ended with Heidelberg earning a corner, but Essendon used that to launch a ruthless counter-attack.
Grace Maher is known for a lot of things in this game, mostly poise, precision and vision, but she displayed blistering speed and outstanding effort to burst up the wing. Heidelberg’s defenders put in the effort to match and Maher had to wait for reinforcements with McGroarty the only, outnumbered target.
Maher cut inside and lofted a perfect pass with her non-preferred right foot. Jenkins arrived in space, cushioned the pass and hit a half-volley that bounced in off the underside of the bar.
There was the chance that this might open the floodgates. However, Heidelberg remained composed for the next 30 minutes of the half, and entered the break with more shots on goal than The Royals.
Assumma’s lunge at a good cross nearly levelled the scores, but Essendon went into half gtime with a 1-0 lead.
Essendon took control in the second half, and the scoreboard quickly reflected that. Kelli McGroarty struck twice in the 49th and 54th minute to make it 3-0 in a flash.
Bronte Peel has been one of The Royals most potent weapons this season and the winger danced along the byline in the box. Her cutback fell to McGroarty and the golden boot leader slammed the ball home from close range, getting low to finish athletically and emphatically.
Maher’s corner minutes later was met by McGroarty’s surging back post run and although Mischa Anderson was credited with the own goal, that feels harsh with McGroarty getting the initial header on target.
With the game fully opened up, Essendon began to create chances with ease. Peel’s turn and shot flashed wide of the post. Emma Langley and Jenkins both tested the defence for Essendon and McGroarty brought a great save from Mia Bailey after a clever shift of feet at the edge of the box.
Jenkins had opened the scoring, but still looked hungry for a second. The New Zealand international has been used sparingly by Jaiden van der Heijden but has still managed to score almost once every 30 minutes of game time since she joined the club.
She finally brought up her brace after running onto McGroarty’s pass and giving Bailey no chance with the close range finish.
Anderons’s 93rd minute penalty pulled back one goal for Heidelberg, but the result was long determined and Essendon were crowned the 2026 Nike FC Cup champions.
There is more to come from this team. They have a premiership and champions to chase and in current form will go in favourites against any other side in the state.
Essendon play a relentless, attacking style. They are not big on clean sheets, but rely on their two centre backs and goalkeeper Zara Board to hold the fort, while seemingly the rest of the team surges forward in waves.
The overlapping runs of Akeisah Sandhu, the timing of Bella Sewards from midfield, the busyness of Ayano Koizumi and Bronte Peel’s ability to get crosses in, make them a force to behold in full flight.
They have recruited excellently. Peel, Sandhu and McGroarty have been among their best players every week and in the transfer window they added Maher and Jenkins, two players of elite quality and big game experience who helped deliver this silverware. But this recruitment also extends to their first NPLW season when they added winger Ava Groba to the squad and made her captain in 2024. After a long term injury few players deserve to lift this cup more.
This is the result of a years long project at Essendon. They arrived in the NPLW in 2024 with real intent to not just compete but contend. Having made the semifinals two season in a row in the league, this feels deserved. But this is not just the culmination of something. Essendon may only just be getting started.
NPLW catch up game
On Sunday, Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory played their postponed match from two weeks ago. Victory took the opportunity to practically undo the damage to their goal difference suffered at Essendon last weekend.
Victory named an almost full-strength squad. Sienna Saveska may have her match minutes limited but half an hour was enough to bring up a goal and an assist.
Sienna Techera’s good work on the left opened up space for Victory and Poppy O’Keeffe was found in the box. Her turn was clever, but the shot was blocked. Luckily for Victory, it fell to Saveska to made no mistake with the finish.
Saveska then turned provider. She won the ball in midfield and curled an inch perfect pass into the stride of Ella O’Grady. The finish feels like a formality when O’Grady is in that kind of space and it was 2-0 in the 18th minute.
Saveska’s replacement, Jasmine Millar picked up where the Young Matilda left off. She set up Leyla Hussein to head home with a perfect cross after a turnover deep in the City defence. Victory’s attacking press was being executed to perfection and although City were able to pull one back through Jami Marandola, Victory ended the first half with a 3-1 lead.
The home side added to their advantage quickly after kicking off the second half. Anika Dovaston finished the move started by O’Keeffe’s pressure and Hussein’s flicked pass.
Victory’s Young Matilda’s midfielder O’Keeffe got in on the scoring herself. After winning the ball herself in attack, she exchanged passes with Hussein and tucked the ball away into the bottom corner to make it 5-1.
Techera ended the days scoring with Victory’s sixth. Millar brought up her second assist for the game, this time with a cross from the opposite flank. Techera held off the challenge to control and finish at the back post.
The win is Victory’s first in over a month, and was completed in style. They now face Spring Hills next Sunday in Round 23.
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