University Blues held off a fierce Old Xaverians comeback to win the 2026 VAFA William Buck Premier Men's Grand Final by four points, 10.26 (86) to 13.4 (82), at Revo Fitness Park in Elsternwick on Sunday.
The result gave Uni Blues their first premiership since 2019 and made them the first A-Grade premiers in VAFA history to win a Grand Final despite kicking three fewer goals than their opponents.
Blues captain Marty Gleeson was awarded the Jock Nelson Medal as best afield in his first Grand Final at any level of football, after a match-saving tackle on Old Xaverians' Jack O'Sullivan in the dying moments preserved the win.
Uni Blues led by two points at quarter time, 3.4 (22) to 3.2 (20), and by the same margin at half time, 5.11 (41) to 6.3 (39). They surged to a 24-point lead at three-quarter time, 9.21 (75) to 8.3 (51), before Old Xaverians clawed back to lead by as much as 25 points in the final term.
The Blues held on to close out the win. It was only the third time in VAFA history that an A-Grade premier had kicked fewer goals than the losing side, following De La Salle's win over North Old Boys in 1977 and Caulfield's win over Coburg in 1970.
Uni Blues coach Matt Smith said the match came down to a handful of key moments.
"It came down to a couple of moments of brilliance that inevitably proved to be the difference: a Sam Grimley miracle goal off the ground, and a late goal-saving tackle from Marty Gleeson," Smith said.
Smith said his side's inaccuracy in front of goal made the finish closer than it needed to be.
"You can't be unhappy with a 24-point three-quarter time lead, but if we'd had a little bit more reward for effort, that would be great," Smith said. "We're playing some good football, we've just got to tidy up a little bit."
Old Xaverians coach Dan Donati said his side's inability to win the ball at the source cost them a shot at the flag.
"We've got to win the ball at the source. We're getting smashed around the contest," Donati said. "But they've left the door open. Not much has gone our way. We've got to be tighter at the contest, and tighter with our tackling technique, and if we kick one or two, the game can be on."
Donati credited the Blues for their consistency across the season.
"Full credit has to go to Blues," Donati said. "They got things right in the back half of the season and maintained their high level of performance right through until the end."
James Stewart, the league's leading goalkicker, finished with 16 disposals, four marks and three goals for Uni Blues, while Grimley also kicked three. Lord, Hayter, Curran and Bain added one goal each.
Joe Furphy was influential through the ruck and around the contest for the Blues, gathering 19 disposals, including 16 contested possessions, along with 33 hit-outs, 11 clearances and seven inside-50s.
For Old Xaverians, Ollie Sestan kicked three goals, while Ed Delany, Stirling Phipps-Parsons and Marcus Stavrou each kicked two. Charlie Macisaac, Guiney, Charlie Westcott and Sam Fisher added one apiece. Will Goss had 41 disposals, 17 rebound-50s and seven tackles.
Uni Blues' other best players were Cam O'Shea, Max Irving, James Curran and Mojwok Akoch, while Old Xaverians' best included Fisher, Stavrou, Campbell Lane and Westcott alongside Sestan and Macisaac.
VAFA Hall of Famer and match caller Simon Petch described the finish as extraordinary, while VAFA Media commentator Matthew Donald called Gleeson's tackle "goal-saving, flag-saving".
The win came in front of thousands of spectators at Revo Fitness Park in Elsternwick, home of the VAFA, which was founded in 1892 and remains the largest senior community Australian rules football competition in Victoria. Smith said the club had two of its three senior sides playing in a Grand Final in 2026.