WHAT A SEASON, NORTH ALBANY! 

Well, that season just flew by! How on earth are we already at the end of finals? It feels like only yesterday we were dusting off the hockey sticks, lacing up the shoes and heading out for that very first training session. And now, just like that, another season is in the books!

But goodness me, what a season it was!

A season of firsts — first hockey stick, first touch on the ball, first goal, first win and, yes, the first loss too. A season filled with excitement, nerves, celebrations, a few frustrations, friendships, teamwork, support, laughter and more than a little bit of absurdity along the way!

There were new skills learned, challenges conquered, goals celebrated, teammates encouraged and memories made. There were friendships that grew stronger, sideline cheers that could probably be heard from the next suburb, questionable decisions, funny looks at the umpires (we know who you are! 👀), and the occasional funny look at ourselves, too!

Through the wins and losses, the muddy shoes, the cold nights, the long drives and those moments when we wondered what on earth was going on out there, one thing never changed — the spirit of our North Albany hockey community.

And to everyone who pulled on a North Albany shirt this season, from our youngest budding hockey stars to our senior players, WELL DONE! Whether you were scoring goals, making tackles, cheering from the sidelines, lending a hand, coaching, umpiring or keeping everything running behind the scenes, you were part of something special.

To our players, coaches, managers, umpires, volunteers, families and supporters — thank you for every effort, every cheer, every helping hand and every moment of support. Our club simply wouldn't be what it is without you.

And to those who made it all the way to the grand finals — what an achievement! You should be incredibly proud of everything you've worked towards this season.  So, as we pack away the sticks (well, some of us might manage to leave them alone for a little while 😂), take a moment to look back and appreciate just how much has been achieved.

What a ride. What a team. What a community. WHAT A SEASON!

We're not quite sure what we're supposed to do with ourselves now that hockey is over... perhaps we'll have to learn how to spend a weekend without checking fixtures, packing hockey bags or shouting from the sidelines!

But for now, North Albany, take a bow. You've given us a season full of memories, and we wouldn't have had it any other way.

THANK YOU, NORTH ALBANY. YOU WERE ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! 

🥇❤️🩶 OUR 2026 PREMIERS! 🩶❤️🥇

🏆 WOMEN’S A GRADE – PREMIERS!

THEY DID IT! OUR WOMEN’S A REDBACKS ARE THE 2026 LOWER GREAT SOUTHERN HOCKEY ASSOCIATION PREMIERS!

⭐ Best on Ground: Abigail Stan-Bishop

Our ladies delivered an outstanding performance in the grand final against Manypeaks, securing a brilliant 3–0 victory and bringing the premiership silverware home to North Albany!

It was a tightly contested match, with the Redbacks holding a narrow 1–0 advantage at quarter time thanks to a goal fromAnna . The third quarter was a close battle, with both teams earning penalty corners but neither able to convert.  With the pressure building and Manypeaks searching for an equaliser, our girls found another gear in the final quarter, scoring twice to seal the victory!  Weldone to Stella and Bec for helping us seal the deal!

A fantastic team effort, a clean sheet and a premiership to celebrate. What a way to finish the season!

CONGRATULATIONS, LADIES! 2026 PREMIERS! YOU HAVE DONE NORTH ALBANY PROUD!

7/8/9 GIRLS – PREMIERS!

ANOTHER PREMIERSHIP FOR THE REDBACKS!

Our 7/8/9 Girls produced a grand final performance to remember, taking on Griffins in a thrilling contest that had everyone on the sidelines holding their breath!

The girls battled hard to secure a fantastic 2–1 victory, but there was certainly no relaxing for the supporters. Griffins kept pushing, earning short corner after short corner and making sure we were all well and truly on our toes!

The nerves were real, the tension was high, and those final moments felt like they lasted forever. But our Redbacks held their ground, showed tremendous determination and got the job done!

A massive congratulations to our players and coaches on a wonderful achievement. Your hard work, teamwork and enthusiasm have paid off, and you should be incredibly proud.

2026 PREMIERS! WHAT A FINISH, GIRLS! 

MEN’S B GRADE – GRAND FINAL

NORTH ALBANY 0 – 4 GRIFFINS BLUE

Our Men’s B Redbacks took to the turf on Saturday night for the big one, going head-to-head with Griffins Blue in the 2026 grand final!

Reaching a grand final is no small achievement, and the boys should be incredibly proud of the season they've put together to earn their place in the decider.

While the scoreboard didn't fall our way on the night, with Griffins Blue taking the win 4–0, that doesn't take away from everything this team has achieved throughout the season. Getting to the grand final is a testament to the commitment, teamwork and determination shown by the players and coaching staff.

A huge congratulations to Griffins Blue on their premiership, and a massive WELL DONE to our Men’s B Redbacks for representing North Albany with pride and making it all the way to the big dance!

You might not be bringing home the trophy this time, boys, but you've certainly given us plenty to cheer about this season.

Heads high, Men’s B. We are proud of you!

10/11/12 GIRLS – GRAND FINALISTS!

NORTH ALBANY 0 – 1 GRIFFINS RED

Our 10/11/12 Girls Redbacks took to the turf on Friday night for their grand final showdown against Griffins Red, and what a contest it was!

In a tightly fought match, the girls battled hard right until the final whistle, with Griffins eventually edging ahead to claim a narrow 1–0 victory.

While the result didn't quite go our way, reaching a grand final is a fantastic achievement, and these girls should be incredibly proud of everything they've accomplished this season.  From the hard work at training to the teamwork, determination and support they've shown one another, they've given us plenty of reasons to cheer. Playing in a grand final is a special experience, and we hope the girls take away wonderful memories of their season and the journey they've shared.

A huge congratulations to Griffins Red on their win, and an equally huge WELL DONE to our North Albany girls for making it all the way to the big dance!

Heads high, girls. You've done your club proud, and we couldn't be happier to have you representing North Albany!

THE OTHER GRAND FINAL RESULTS

Reaching a grand final is an achievement in itself, and a huge congratulations to every team that made it to the big dance. There were some fantastic contests across the weekend, with plenty of determination, teamwork and memorable hockey on display.

MEN’S A GRADE

Manypeaks 3 – 3 Spencer Park

What a grand final! Manypeaks ended their four-year premiership drought after a thrilling one-on-ones showdown against Spencer Park.

With the scores locked at 3–3 at full time, neither side could find the net during overtime. The decider went to one-on-ones, where Manypeaks gained the upper hand to secure the premiership in an epic contest.

⭐ Best on Ground: Jordan Dwyer (Manypeaks)

Congratulations to Manypeaks on their premiership, and well done to both teams for delivering such a memorable grand final!

Womans B Grade

Spencer Park Light Blue v Griffins Women B

Spencer came out on top after a nailbiting finish with a, 2–1 win over Griffins

Griffins v Bethel 10/11/12

Griffins and Bethel faced off in the 10/11/12 Boys grand final. Congratulations to both teams on reaching the big dance and completing their finals campaigns!

Griffins Blue v Spencer Park 7/8/9

Griffins Blue claimed the premiership against Spencer Park. Well done to both teams, and a special shout-out to our North Albany boys for a season full of learning, teamwork and Redbacks spirit!

Spencer Park Dark 3 – 1 Griffins Red

Spencer Park Dark took the win in the 5/6 Mixed grand final. Congratulations to both teams on a great season and a place in the grand final!

 A FINAL WORD… 

To every North Albany player who pulled on a shirt this season — whether you were lifting a premiership trophy, playing in a grand final, battling through the finals series or simply enjoying your hockey journey — WELL DONE!

Every first touch, every goal, every save, every tackle, every laugh and every moment of encouragement has helped make this season what it was.  To our coaches, managers, umpires, volunteers, families and supporters — thank you for every effort, every cheer, every helping hand and every moment of support. Our club simply wouldn't be what it is without you.

And now… what exactly are we supposed to do with ourselves on weekends without hockey? Perhaps we'll have to learn how to spend a weekend without checking fixtures, packing hockey bags or shouting from the sidelines!

For now, take a bow, North Albany. Two premierships, countless memories and a whole lot of Redbacks pride.

THANK YOU FOR AN ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT 2026 SEASON!

 GO NORTH ALBANY!

 NORTH ALBANY 2026 WIND-UP! 

🏑 LET'S GET TOGETHER, CELEBRATE & HAVE SOME FUN! 🏑

Well, the season may be over, but we're certainly not ready to say goodbye just yet!

It's time to get everyone back together, have a few laughs, celebrate a fantastic season, reminisce about all those memorable moments (and questionable decisions! 😂), and perhaps even start dreaming about what next year might bring!  We'd love for you to join us for our 2026 North Albany Hockey Club Wind-Up!

📅 Saturday 17 October

⏰ 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm

📍 ALBANY TURF

And of course… what's a wind-up without our much-loved ANNUAL ADULTS vs KIDS GAME?! 

The big question is… have the adults still got what it takes, or are the kids about to remind us who's really in charge?!  Will there be bragging rights? Questionable umpiring decisions? A few sore muscles the next day? Only one way to find out!

Everyone is welcome, so bring the family, bring your best stories, bring your competitive spirit (and perhaps a little humility if you're an adult! 😉).

Come down, have a laugh, celebrate our wonderful hockey community and enjoy one more afternoon together before we start counting down to next season!

We can't wait to see you all there! 

 WHAT'S NEXT? HOW DO WE FILL THAT HOCKEY ITCH? 

Just because the winter season has wrapped up doesn't mean the hockey fun has to stop! There's still plenty happening across the Lower Great Southern Hockey Association to keep us moving, socialising and getting our hockey fix.

 SUMMER 7s SOCIAL HOCKEY IS COMING!

Fast, fun and social — Summer 7s is a great way to stay active, enjoy a midweek hit and meet new people. With all abilities welcome, there's something for everyone!

Whether you're keen to keep your skills ticking over, try something a little different or simply enjoy a run around with friends, why not get involved?

Men’s Social Hockey kicks off Wednesday 14 October, while Masters Women’s Social Hockey (35+) gets underway Wednesday 21 October.

There's also a proposed Mixed Social Hockey competition being explored, so if that's more your thing, now's the time to register your interest!

For all the details, registration information and contacts, check out the LGSHA Summer 7s announcements.

SENIOR COMPETITIVE HOCKEY 5s – EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

Looking for something a little more competitive? LGSHA is also exploring a new Senior Competitive Hockey5s competition!

The proposed six-week competition would feature a goalkeeper, modified FIH rules and a final or finals series depending on nominations. Tuesday or Thursday evening options are being considered, with the final night to be decided based on interest.

If you'd like to have a go, or want to find out more, register your interest with treasurer@lgshockey.asn.au.

So, don't pack those hockey sticks away just yet! There's still plenty of opportunity to get involved, have a laugh and keep that hockey spirit alive. 

AND THERE WE HAVE IT… 

For those die-hards who just can't bear to put the hockey sticks away, all is not lost! With Summer 7s, Masters Social Hockey and the proposed Hockey5s competition on the horizon, there's still plenty of opportunity to get your hockey fix, keep those skills ticking over and enjoy a few more laughs along the way.

For those planning to hibernate until next winter… we’ll miss you! 😂 Enjoy the break, put those feet up, and we'll see you on the other side!

And of course, we really hope to see as many of you as possible at our North Albany Wind-Up on Saturday 17 October. Let's get together, celebrate a fantastic season, share a few stories and enjoy one more afternoon of Redbacks fun!

Once again, a massive WELL DONE to every player, coach, manager, volunteer, family member and supporter who made 2026 such a wonderful season. Thank you for being part of our North Albany hockey family.

Until next time…

Much love,

North Albany Hockey Club