2026 Premier Division Grand Final Preview

By Ryan Long.

East Ringwood meets Rowville in the first Premier Grand Final held at Jubilee Park since the 1997 Division One decider between the Roos and Eagles.

After a heartbreaking loss in the 2024 Grand Final, East Ringwood return to the big dance with an opportunity to win their first senior premiership in the top division of the league since 2002.

Paul Griffiths has stepped into the senior coaching position this year, with a 16-2 record, before defeating Rowville in the second semi-final to advance to the Grand Final decider.

Led by co-captains James Belo and Damon Delaney, they’ve been the dominant force this year. Ex-Melbourne premiership player Steven May led the headlines as the league’s biggest recruit over the off-season. May has fit into the line-up well, averaging 18 disposals and six marks per game.

Josh Fox has once again been massive up forward, 56 goals for the season; Blake Pearson’s return to Premier is also key, 34 for the year with some big-time performances.

They take on a Rowville outfit that has come off three tough consecutive finals to qualify. A high-scoring Preliminary Final saw the Hawks put 141 points on the board and unleash a new target up forward with Kane Young kicking five goals in the win.

Returning to a full-time basis at Rowville in 2026, Tyler Edwards has been an enormous inclusion to an already star-studded midfield group. The Hawks star is averaging 31.7 disposals per game, the most of any player in the Premier Division. Edwards has been well supported by the likes of Skipper Anthony Brolic, Lachlan McDonald, Tyson and Mitchell Sruk, all great ball winners.

On the three occasions this year, East Ringwood have come out on top, but as we’ve seen in the last few Premier Grand Finals, prior head-to-head doesn’t always mean everything.

We’ve got the two best teams of Premier Division on the big stage, which is all we can ask for!

Head-to-Head Results:

Round 6: East Ringwood 14.12 96 def. Rowville 11.12 78 @ East Ringwood Reserve

A great spectacle between the two best teams of the division. After an inaccurate start early, the Hawks took a commanding position going into the final term after a seven-goal to two third quarter.

However, seven unanswered goals in the final quarter for the home side saw East Ringwood charge home, with Blake Pearson kicking one of the goals of the year to spark the group.

Steven May had one of his best performances in the blue and white, with 30 disposals, 13 Marks, 8 of which were intercept marks.

For the Hawks, Callum Verrell was massive defensively, while Brolic led the disposals with 31 and 15 clearances.

Round 15: Rowville 4.7 31 lost to East Ringwood 13.15 93 @ Seebeck Oval

A dominant East Ringwood four-quarter performance saw the Roos pile the pain on an injury-riddled Rowville outfit at Seebeck Oval.

The win locked in a Minor Premiership for East Ringwood with James Belo leading the way in a milestone game for the skipper, while Josh Fox and Jamie Gilchrist both finished with three majors each.

A tough afternoon for the Hawks, made worse by the unfortunate season-ending injury to star forward Mav Taylor.

Second Semi Final: East Ringwood 10.10 70 def. Rowville 4.15 39 @ Jubilee Park

The second semi saw a strong East Ringwood line-up lock in the first spot on Grand Final Day, defeating the Hawks by 31 points at Jubilee Park.

Both Josh and Connor Weightman were key, combining for 37 disposals for the game, while Blake Pearson finished with three majors.