Rochester's under-12 Tigers claimed the premiership on Friday.
Rochester’s Under 12 girls made their final trip to Bendigo on Friday night for the BJFL Grand Final, and Canterbury Park was absolutely buzzing.
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A sea of black and yellow filled the ground, the sun was shining, and the energy was electric, you’d swear we were in Rochester, not Bendigo.
The crowd was loud, proud, and ready.
Coach Trent Riordan pulled his team in close for his trademark calm pre‑ game message.
Rochester defeated St Francis Green 4.2 (26) to 3.2 (20).
“Tonight is just like any other game,” he said.
“We’ re not changing anything. Keep the ball moving forward, tackle hard, and have fun. Nothing fancy.”
From the first bounce, the young Tigers exploded into action.
Ella Forde swooped on the ball and launched a stunning goal from about 30 metres out within the opening minutes, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Ella Forde clears it from the centre.
Rochester looked confident and composed, but St Francis refused to back down, applying fierce pressure and shutting down two near goals, turning them into points instead.
Rochester held strong.
Ava Rasmussen was ferocious, fearless tackling, hunting loose balls, and locking the ball inside the Tigers’ forward line.
Charlotte Wolfe works in traffic.
Her pressure helped keep St Francis scoreless in the first quarter.
At the break, Riordan praised the girls’ attack on the ball and urged them to keep finding space and shepherding.
The second quarter was a true arm wrestle.
St Francis lifted, finding space, taking strong marks, and scooping up any crumbs the Tigers left behind.
The crowd was on its feet, nerves high, voices loud.
Grand final VIP crew of Talisa Sinclair, Alva Acocks, Isabella Ryan and Izzy Brooks.
Annemarie Smith showed blistering speed and determination, dragging opponents to ground with brilliant defensive work.
Zoe Mangan read the play beautifully, chasing down loose balls and stopping St Francis’ forward movement with cool, composed footy.
Frankie Hay was outstanding, shutting down opponents with strength and skill.
But St Francis kept coming, kicking the only goal of the quarter and tightening the margin to just two points at halftime.
Riordan reminded the girls they knew this would be an arm wrestle and urged them to get in front and keep the ball moving.
Frankie Hay winds up.
The third quarter began with Rochester flat‑ footed, allowing St Francis to win early contests.
The crowd felt every moment, cheers, sighs, and nerves rippled across the oval.
But nothing could stop Ava Rasmussen, whose determination lifted the team.
Mackenzie Harvey took strong marks and pumped the ball forward.
Ella Forde was smart and clean, swooping on crumbs, while Frankie Hay continued to dominate with slick tackling and relentless pressure.
Then came a moment of magic, Sophie Godden got her hands on the ball and slotted a crucial goal, giving Rochester breathing space.
Coach Trent Riordan distributes instructions to his side between quarters.
With the scoreboard not working, no one knew the margin, but the atmosphere was electric.
Soon after, the reliable and unstoppable Frankie Hay delivered again, kicking Rochester’s third goal and sending a wave of relief through the Tigers’ supporters.
At three‑ quarter time, Riordan praised the girls.
“We started slow, but you got better and better,” he said.
“You were shepherding, tackling, and moving the ball forward. We’ ve got 12 minutes left for the season, let’ s run it out and win the game.”
And win they did.
The final quarter began with Frankie Hay knowing exactly what needed to be done, and she delivered.
Sophie Godden sends it towards goal.
She swooped in, gathered the ball, and took off, bouncing through the middle with blistering speed before slotting a sensational goal to give Rochester a 19‑ point lead.
The crowd erupted, fences rattled, voices soared, and black and yellow pride filled the air.
But St Francis weren’t done. They surged forward, locking the ball inside their attacking half and applying enormous pressure.
They kicked two late goals, dragging the margin back to seven points and putting every Tiger and supporter on edge.
It was a true arm wrestle to the final siren. Rochester dug deep, tackling hard, chasing every contest, and refusing to give an inch.
Ava Rasmussen continued to inspire with her hunger for the ball, lifting her teammates in the dying minutes.
And then — the siren.
The Tigers stride out, ready for battle.
The young Tigers burst into celebration, realising they had won the Grand Final by six points.
The crowd flooded the oval in a wave of black and yellow, cheering, hugging, and celebrating an unforgettable game of junior footy.
Coach Riordan, once he regained colour in his face, praised the girls for their grit, determination, and teamwork
“What an arm wrestle,” he said.
“Frankie, you kicked the winning goal, well done. Girls, look how far you’ve come. You should be incredibly proud.”
After singing the song loud and proud, the team received their BJFL medals, a moment they’ll never forget.
Congratulations to Ella Forde who won the BJFL medal for Best on Ground.
And a special mention must go to the VIP crew, the girls who missed out on playing the Grand Final.
They arrived with smiles, lifted the team with their energy, and were the loudest cheer squad anyone could ask for.
Their resilience and sportsmanship have been outstanding, and there’s no doubt Rochester wouldn’t be in the Grand Final without them.
What a phenomenal night of football. What a team. What a club.
Rochester 4.2 (26) defeated St Francis Green 3.2 (20)
Goal kickers: Frankie Hay 2, Ella Forde, Sophie Godden.
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