By Kieran Yap 2/9/26
Above: Box Hill celebrates their premiership. Photo: Box Hill United Pythagoras Instagram. Ashley Perez Photography
Box Hill United are the premiers of 2026. Last year’s Grand Final winners ended a convincing campaign on top of the table after a win away against Melbourne City. Elsewhere, Essendon Royals ended the year in second place, South Melbourne are set to meet Bulleen and Avondale will face Boroondara.
There was still plenty to play for in the final round of the Victorian NPLW. While Box Hill were highly favoured to get a result against their relegated opposition, Essendon held out hope of a miracle, but needed a win against a South Melbourne side who also needed to guarantee their own finals spot.
South Melbourne began in the ascendancy on their way to a 3-1 win at Lakeside Stadium, and took full advantage of that early momentum. Alexis Pantazopoulos was an early menace for the home side and opened the scoring in the 23rd minute. The striker beat Zara Board to the ball out side, and finished from an improbable angle and distance.
Pantazopoulos was the creator of South’s second goal in the 27th minute. Her wizardly out wide ended with another optimistic shot that bounced off the bar in favour of Emily Collier. She finished unopposed to make it 2-0.
But Essendon always score, and although Golden Boot winner Kelli McGroarty was relatively well marshalled by the South backline, she still found ways to cause problems. A cushioned first touch and incisive pass almost set up Maggie Jenkins for a goal. McGroarty later converted a penalty to pull one back before half time.
Essendon grew into the game and after going two goals down, they generally controlled play. Grace Maher dropped deeper, Jenkins and Akeisha Sandhu’s influence grew, but although they created chances, South Melbourne’s defence led by Bella Wallhead and driven by a terrific Grace Taranto performance held strong.
South secured the win when Emily Roach sent a curling ball in after a corner was partially cleared. Annebel Haffenden rose highest to nod it past Board to make it 3-1.
It would turn out to be a crucial result, with Alamein FC chasing a spot in the top six.
They gave themselves every chance to leapfrog South with a 2-0 win at home against Bulleen Lions. Neven Duston’s penalty set up the result, which was sealed late by former Bulleen forward Anais Josefski in the 93rd minute.
Bulleen could not drop below fourth place or go above third in the final round, so with their finals path set, they rested several usual starters. Maja Markovski, Tiffany Eliadis, Claudia Mihocic and Olivia Bomford all started on the bench. Alyssia Ierardo started in goal ahead of Alyssa Dall’ Oste.
Alamain tried to attack from the outset. Summer Laskey was an early danger in the opening half and Emma Runnalls also tested the Bulleen goalkeeper. Bulleen were for the most part restricted to long range efforts. Alamein’s fullback’s Jessica Shilton and Chelsea Blissett restricted Bulleen’s strength out wide.
Josefski’s eventual sealer was a brilliant goal. She raced onto a long ball from defence and ther finish to loft the ball over Ierardo at full pace was beautiful to watch.
The win gave Alamein faint hope of finals football, but they fell short by three points in another strong season.
Boroondara Eagles ended the campaign in sixth place following a 2-2 draw with Keilor Park. Abby Holmes was the hero for the visitors, giving them a 2-0 lead before the hour mark. Runa Komidori’s long free kick was met with a brave header running towards goal by Holmes who directed the ball past Mia Mossman for the opener.
Holmes brought up her brace in the 52nd minuts with a late contender for goal of the season. Komidori’s free kick was the source once again, and Holmes equalled her previous bravery with brilliant technique for her second. She angled her body and scored with an athletic overhead kick to double the lead for the visitors.
Boroondara can never realty be counted out though and Madeline Darragh’s high cross set up Geneveive Fontes to pull one back with a leaping back post header. Fonte’s equalled Holmes’s tally for the game with a 90th minute strike to pull the sides level and give Boroondara a precious point to insure against Alamein’s win elsewhere.
Heidelberg United ended their campaign with a 1-0 win against Bentleigh Greens. Rosie Wild’s 25th minute header was enough to win the game. This was Bentleigh’s last game in the NPLW for now. They were essentially relegated long ago, but deserve plaudits for the way that they attacked the second half of the season. Bentleigh still had one of the most impressive transfer windows in the league and played some highly entertaining football in the second half of the season, but could not recover from the way they started in the league.
That effort may not be in vain, although the two sides promoted from the VPL have signally their intention to play in the top tier, there is always a chance something will change off-field and Bentleigh can received a lifeline after finishing above Melbourne City.
Preston Lions ended their year on a high, coming from a goal down to win 2-1 against Melbourne Victory’s U23’s.
Sienna Saveska’s trickery in attack set up Leyla Hussein to score the first goal of the game, Melbourne City bound Aimee Medwin ran from deep to overall Erika Di Tella and score from wide to draw the side’s level.
Victory conceded again almost directly from the kick off. Valentine Pursey’s terrific form of late continued when she battled in the six yard box to make room and finish off Eva Harrington’s cross.
Neither side’s ladder position could change from this game, but it was good for Preston to end their campaign on a positive note after showing plenty of potential in an ultimately inconsistent year.
Avondale FC jumped to third with a 5-1 win away against Spring Hills FC. The visitors started strongly. Sloane Young had two efforts on goal before Hannah Wilkinson intercepted a short back pass and set up Alana Bogers to finish into an empty net on 25 minutes.
Wilkinson doubled the lead soon after with a terrific first-time finish. Asuka Miyata’s tackle spilled the ball into the path of the former Football Fern and she scored her 18th goal of the season.
The attacks kept coming from Avondale and Aideen Keane’s pace set up Young for their third early in the second half. Beattie Goad scored their fourth to complete a patient end-to-end passing move that she helped start in midfield.
Keane made it 5-0 with a tidy finish in the 87th minute to cap off a near complete performance from Avondale, but Aleks Sinclair provided the home side with a late consolation goal in added time. The Spring Hills star won the ball after a speculative pass forward and kept her composure to give the home side something to celebrate on a tough afternoon.
Now to Casey Fields where Box Hill United only needed a draw to be crowned Premiers of 2026. Given that they were facing bottom placed Melbourne City, most at the club would have been confident of that result, and started in typically swashbuckling style.
Rhianna Pollicina tested Dali Gorr Burchmore twice in the opening exchanges, but the Junior Matildas goalkeeper was in strong form.
Kiara Berecelli’s attempt from distance was on target, but once against Gorr Burchmore was equal to the task.
It took until the hour mark for Box Hill to find the breakthrough. Sofia Sakalis provided a perfect pass to split the defence and Maho Murakami’s eventual shot was spilled into the path of Kawano who scored her 10th of the season.
To City’s credit, they defended well for the remainder of the game, But Box Hill looked like they knew they had it in bag. They maintained the lead comfortably and earned their first top place finish in NPLW history.
In Appreciation of Box Hill United.
What a season Box Hill Pythagoras have had under coach Kogulan Sabaratnam. After winning the championship in sauntering style last year, they started 2026 in much the same form. From Round One they looked dangerous and barely put a foot wrong throughout the campaign, losing only four times and playing some outstanding football.
Box Hill passed the ball quickly, their forwards interchanged and they had numerous targets each capable of creating something out of nothing. Erin Keyt established herself as one of the league’s best players in the opening weeks, Kiara Bercelli ended with 18 assists off the wing, and Kawano grew into the season to become another consistent goal scorers.
Rhianna Pollicina, Holly Murray and Carina Rossi each added A-League experience to the side. Rossi scored five goals in just six appearances, while Murray and Laura Pickett reinforced the side defensively as Pollicina pulled the strings alongside Murakami in midfield.
Late in the home and away rounds, Sofia Sakalis rejoined the squad. The club legend feels like a new signing on the eve of finals and is the type of player most clubs could only dream of signing. Box Hill had the luxury of brining Sakalis in after a well earned rest and she looks deadly, sharp and hungry for more silverware.
Keeley Segavcic was one of the signings of the season. The former Western Sydney Wanderers goalkeeper was a crucial part of the clubs success and likely helped give them the confidence to attack so freely.
Leading Box Hill was captain Sofia Palywoda. In a season where she interchanged between midfield and defence, Palywoda was the foundation of Box Hill’s success and a beacon of consistency and stability in a team that derived strength and belief from her presence.
Box Hill have been a thrill to watch. Last season was no fluke, they have looked unbeatable at times, and are deserved premiers. Now they will have a week’s rest before a semi final and a chance at more glory.
@ImpetusFootball on Threads, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
impetusfootball.org 