Swans break hoodoo to claim long awaited premiership

The Tamworth Swans celebrate winning the 2025 AFL North West Senior Men's Grand Final.

HAVING lost the past four Grand Finals, the Tamworth Swans proved the fifth time is a charm after overcoming Inverell in the 2025 decider played at Varley Oval.

For the Swans it was the club’s first premiership since 2009.

Having paid the price for a slow start two weeks earlier when these two teams met in the semi final, it was important for the Swans that they got off to a quicker start in the big game.

Early goals to Gavin Knee and Lachlan Bennetts-Inkster helped settle any nerves the Tamworth Swans had.

Angus Croft replied soon after for Inverell but when Kaleb Crowhurst kicked two goals late in the opening term, the Swans had opened up a 16-point lead that it didn’t relinquish at any stage during the rest of the match.

Bennetts-Inkster extended the lead further in the second term. Harry Moffitt looked like Inverell’s most dangerous player inside attacking 50 and he goaled to keep Inverell in the contest.

Conor Mackle was getting plenty of the ball and his goal late in the second term gave the Tamworth Swans a four-goal lead at the main break.

Inverell, which was aiming for its third consecutive men’s premiership, came out hungry at the start of the second half and kicked two unanswered goals in the third stanza through Tim Beattie and Luke Selig to reduce the margin to a manageable 16-points at the final break.

Any doubts that might have crept into the minds of the Swans players, particularly those who’d experienced the pain of past grand final losses, were eased enormously when Bennetts-Inkster kicked his third major of the match and then Luke Fisher followed with another at the seven minute mark to give the Swans the breathing space they needed.

Angus Croft snapped truly for the Saints shortly afterward and although Inverell had inside-50 opportunities over the last 15 minutes, the Swans defence stood tall and didn’t concede another major.

When the siren went, the relief of so many Swans was evident. Relief that after many years of trying, the memory of the loss to Gunnedah in 2020, the loss to the Nomads in 2022 and the two grand final losses to Inverell in 2023 and 2024 weren’t going to be revisited.

2025 GRAND FINAL DETAILS

TAMWORTH SWANS 4.1 6.3 6.7 8.8 (56)

INVERELL   1.3  2.3  4.3  5.5 (35)

Goals – Swans: Lachlan Bennetts-Inkster 3, Kaleb Crowhurst 2, Luke Fisher, Gavin Knee, Conor Mackle. Inv: Angus Croft 2, Tim Beattie, Harry Moffitt, Luke Selig.

Graham Nuttall Trophy (Best on Ground): Conor Mackle (Tamworth Swans)

Played at Varley Oval on Saturday, September 20.