Preliminary Finals Weekend – Cardiff and Killarney Vale Prelim Final, The Panther and The Bulldog, Bateau Bay meet with their 2024 Eliminators and City Safe in a 3rd CONSECUTIVE GRAND FINAL.
Preliminary Finals Weekend – Cardiff and Killarney Vale Prelim Final, The Panther and The Bulldog, Bateau Bay meet with their 2024 Eliminators and City Safe in a 3rd CONSECUTIVE GRAND FINAL.
Written by Oliver Croft
Here we are, footy fans… Preliminary Finals Weekend!
The line-ups are built different, and from this point on – across all divisions – there are no second chances. It’s no longer about ladder position or past form. It’s about who’s the better team, and who brings the “let’s get them” mentality. The stage is set, and the stakes have never been higher. Just one win stands between these teams and the Grand Final. Only one can get there.
Teams will leave everything on the line in a battle of pride, pressure, and pure determination. On The Mark has you covered with everything you need to know in the most exciting time on the AFL Hunter Central Coast calendar.
Men’s Cup
Last week was a statement from the powerhouses – Newcastle City and Terrigal Avoca. Newcastle City dismantled the Bulldogs in ruthless fashion at their home ground on a very windy Saturday. The final score: 138 to 25. The Blues got off to a fast start, kicking three goals and one behind to the Bulldogs’ three behinds in the first quarter. By half-time, City had pulled ahead by an astonishing 58 points.
2024 Maurice Goolagong Trophy winner Jordan Dear kicked five goals, while Zach Munz topped the Bulldogs’ scorecard with two. Warners Bay missed their last two games of the season, and while that might have seemed like a chance to reset and prepare for finals, it didn’t play out that way. Newcastle City now safely await in the Grand Final as the top seed.
It’s their third consecutive Grand Final. In 2023, they defeated the Panthers 11.5 (71) to 8.10 (58). In 2024, they dismantled old-town rivals Cardiff by 44 points. Now, in 2025, they’re back again – awaiting either the Panthers or the Bulldogs.
At Adelaide Street Oval, Terrigal Avoca and Nelson Bay locked horns once again. The Panthers came in confident, having beaten the Marlins by over 100 points just weeks earlier. They jumped out fast, breaking through the wind with pace, and led 49 to 12 at quarter time.
But the Marlins weren’t done. Billy Barton and Mark Spencer kicked four goals each, showing the fight that’s defined their season. Still, they couldn’t contain Sydney Swans Academy recruit Kaiden McNamara, who booted five goals to help the Panthers pounce home by 47 points.
Nelson Bay shouldn’t be disheartened. With a solid season behind them, they’ll come back stronger in 2026, ready to challenge for their first-ever Black Diamond Cup.
So now it all comes down to this: Panthers vs Bulldogs at Pasterfield Sports Complex. Last year, it was Terrigal Avoca vs Cardiff. This year, the Panthers are back – but this time, they face Warners Bay. The Bulldogs will be relieved it’s not at Hylton Moore, where they haven’t won since 2008. But they also haven’t beaten the Panthers this year. It’s a classic rivalry, one for the record books – and one we’ll be watching back on BarTV over and over again.
Women’s Cup
The Women’s Cup Elimination Finals delivered two massive results and set the stage for an explosive next chapter.
At Adelaide Street Oval, Killarney Vale produced one of the most dominant finals performances in recent memory, crushing Warners Bay by 92 points. The Bombers were relentless from the opening bounce, piling on scoreboard pressure despite gusty conditions that made clean football a challenge. Forward star Mia Wilson was unstoppable, booting seven goals in a best-on-ground performance that showcased her class and composure.
For Warners Bay, the heavy defeat stung – but the night was still a celebration of resilience. Returning to finals for the first time since 2016 is a huge achievement, and a platform to build from in the years ahead.
Meanwhile, Bateau Bay stunned Terrigal Avoca in a dramatic, physical contest, edging them out by just four points to book a spot in the next round. Determination carried them across the line, setting up a showdown with Newcastle City – their fierce rivals who ended their campaign in last year’s elimination final. The rivalry adds extra spice to an already massive fixture.
On the other side of the bracket, Killarney Vale’s emphatic win sets up arguably the biggest clash of the season – a Grand Final rematch against Cardiff, at Cardiff.
With hype building and storylines everywhere, the road to the Women’s Cup premiership has never looked more thrilling.
That wraps up an incredible weekend of elimination finals action – but the story doesn’t end here. The stage is now set for Preliminary Finals weekend in both the Men’s and Women’s competitions. Everything is on the line and only one more step remains until the grandest stage of all.
The intensity is about to lift to another level as rivalries reignite, dreams are chased, and history is written. Every contest will be fierce, every goal celebrated, and every moment could decide a season. Get ready, because the Prelim Finals weekend promises drama, passion, and football you simply can’t miss.
