A fast start guided Tolland to a dominant 4-2 victory over Hanwood in the Leonard Cup grand final played at Equex Centre

Hanwood came into the game looking to clinch their fourth successive Leonard Cup title however it was the underdogs who raced out of the gates to open up an early 2-0 lead.

Despite being challenged right until the final whistle, Tolland were able to hold on to claim their first Leonard Cup title since 2018.

Tolland player-coach Bernadette Blake was over the moon with the result and said she was so proud of the way her side battled the game out against a very competitive Hanwood outfit.

"I'm actually speechless," Blake said.

"I kept wanting to believe that we could do it and I knew that we could play footy and match them, but sometimes we miss 90 per cent of our chances and they get 90 per cent of theirs.

"But today the girls finished and we created some chances and I think we got most of our shots in.

"We kept going and at the end it was pretty tough and we were just defending a lot as I think we got pretty knackered.

"But I'm just so proud of the girls and I was proud that we just got here so I'm gobsmacked and it's awesome."

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Tolland captain Christina Grauer-Kompos got her side off to the perfect start with the opening goal of the match and the Wolves were soon out to a 2-0 lead when Ashley Garratt also found the back of the net.

However Hanwood then upped their pressure and soon found themselves only trailing 2-1 as a result of a Tolland own goal.

Tolland then regained ascendancy and were up 3-1 following a terrific long-range goal from Blake that gave her side a bit of breathing room leading up to halftime.

Hanwood weren't done for the half though and a late goal to Johane Oberholzer had them only trailing 3-2 with another 45 minutes yet to play.

Tolland were pressing early in the second half and their dominance soon paid dividends with Grauer-Kompos finding the back of the net for a second time to hand the Wolves a 4-2 lead.

Hanwood continued to press until the final whistle however Tolland's defence stood tall as they ground out an impressive 4-2 victory.

Since entering the competition in 2019, Hanwood have been the dominant force in Leonard Cup and have always been a bogey side for the Wolves.

After five long years, the Wolves finally notched up their first win over Hanwood and Blake agreed there was not better time to do it than in the grand final.

"I know it's awesome and that's my first grand final against them too," she said.

"Because 2019 I had Matty my fifth child and I hadn't got a chance to play them again.

"In 2020 we went out because there was that prelim thing that happened but I was just determined to take it to them and just have a good game.

"I think we did that but I did not expect to be up two goals and holding on to the end, I felt we'd be going extra time or something.

"But it was awesome."

The Wolves raced out to an early 2-0 lead and Blake said she was blown away with the start her side put forward against a high quality opponent.

"I was so proud of the girls," she said.

"I couldn't believe it, I think watching Lake (Albert) just beat Hanwood in the men's and what they did I was thinking you've just got to be hungry.

"Grand finals are about being hungry and I said girls if we go out there and we're hungry then we can see how we go.

"They certainly did that and they put away the chances we needed them to at the start and we just held in there.

"It was bloody awesome."

Full Time

Tolland 4 (C Grauer-Kompos 2, A Garratt, B Blake) d Hanwood 2 (J Oberholzer, Tolland own goal)

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