Red-hot Premier League finals race shaped after four season-defining results

The first round of Premier League finals delivered on all fronts with four big results on Sunday shaping who leads the race to this year’s Grand Finals. 

In the women’s Elimination Final, Suburban Lions scraped through to the next round in a nail-biting shootout victory over Victoria Park. 

The red-hot clash finished at 0-0 after full time, with the Lions prevailing 2-1 in the shootouts, eliminating Victoria Park from finals contention. 

University of Western Australia Hockey Club have booked their spot in this year’s women’s Premier League Grand Final, taking down minor premiers Hale in a scintillating 3-0 win. 

Hockeyroo Courtney Schonell starred, leading her side to the win with two goals in the ninth and 51st minutes, with Lexie Pickering adding a score of her own after half-time in the 35th minute. 

Hale will now meet with Suburban Lions in the women’s Preliminary Final on Sunday 10 September in a do-or-die clash. 

The men’s Qualifying Final saw UWA and Hale face off again following the women’s match, with UWA claiming the double in a 3-2 win that went to extra time. 

UWA scored the first two goals of the match early in the piece through Ben Ashford and Daniel Timms in the second and 21st minutes, but Hale fought back with two of their own. 

The league’s top scorer in Liam Flynn proved to be as damaging as ever, scoring two goals from penalty corners in the 25th and 45th minutes, resulting in the sides sitting at a 2-2 deadlock as the final siren sounded. 

It didn’t take long for the match winner to be scored in extra time, with UWA’s Harry Golding finding goal in the 61st minute to snatch the victory off Hale and book his side a date with Melville on Wednesday night. 

Hale will now take on Reds after their last-minute win over YMCC on Wednesday in a must-win clash with the loser eliminated from finals contention. 

Reds 3-2 victory over YMCC came in the final play of the match, with Kookaburras’ Blake Govers proving to be the difference in a dominant showing. 

Govers scored the first of the match in the fourth minute, but YMCC replied with the next two with Rob harwood and Michael Nicoli scoring in the 29th and 47th minutes. 

YMCC looked to be on top, but Blake Govers responded again with a field goal in the 47th minute. 

Reds earned a penalty corner in the final moment of the match, and their main man in attack in Govers scored the sealer with a drag flick deflecting off Tyler Lovell’s gloves finding goal, eliminating YMCC from this year’s finals series. 

Watch all the Premier League finals match replays on Live Hockey.