Men's Premier League Grand Final Preview

Reigning premiers University will look to complete a back-to-back triumph when they face North West Hobart Graduates in the Men’s Premier League Grand Final on Saturday, with the Bulldogs seeking redemption for last year’s defeat.

The two sides return to the biggest stage following an unforgettable 2025 decider, when University claimed a 4–2 victory to break a 23-year Men’s Premier League premiership drought.

Twelve months later, remarkably similar squads will renew their rivalry. University could feature as many as 14 members of last year’s premiership team, while NWG may welcome back around 11 players from the side that fell just short.

(University celebrate breaking the drought in 2025)

University enter the decider as minor premiers after compiling a 15–4–1 regular-season record. Their place in the Grand Final was secured in dramatic fashion, with Oscar Sproule scoring in the final minute of extra time to seal a thrilling 4–3 Semi-Final victory over DiamondBacks.

NWG finished third with a 12–3–5 record before finding their best hockey when it mattered most. The Bulldogs powered past Derwent 6–0 in their opening final before overcoming DiamondBacks in the Preliminary Final 3-0 to earn another shot at the reigning champions.

University have held the upper hand across the season, winning three of the four meetings between the teams. The Students prevailed 5–2 in Round 1 before producing a stunning 14–3 victory in Round 6.

NWG responded with a 4–3 triumph in Round 11, which is the only defeat inflicted on the Stueys all season, proving they are capable of matching and beating the minor premiers, before University claimed their most recent encounter 4–2 in Round 16.

(NWG are the only side to beat University this year, but the Stueys doled out a hammering in Round 6.)

The teams will bring contrasting approaches into the decider.

Under player-coach Ben Read, University have embraced a relentlessly attacking style. There is rarely a backwards step, an attempt to sit on a lead or a shift towards defensive hockey. Instead, the Students remain committed to taking the game on and continuing to search for goals.

That approach has delivered one of the most prolific attacking seasons in competition history. University became the first Men’s Premier League side since 2007 to break the 100-goal barrier, scoring an extraordinary 117 times across their 21 matches.

NWG typically adopt a more controlled approach built around possession and patience. The Bulldogs are comfortable transferring the ball from side to side, stretching the opposition and waiting for openings to emerge before allowing their game-breakers to attack.

The ability of either team to impose its preferred style could prove decisive. University will look to turn the match into an open, attacking contest, while NWG will aim to control possession, limit the Students’ opportunities and strike when space presents itself.

Whilst how both sides play as a collective will be pivotal, finals are often settled by big moments from star players, and this is a contest littered with some superb individual talent across both line-ups. 

University’s midfield will be led by newly crowned Premier League Best and Fairest winner Keenan Johnson. After twice finishing runner-up in the count, the brilliant playmaker finally broke through for a thoroughly deserved medal following another outstanding campaign.

Johnson’s composure, vision and ability to unlock opposition defences will make him central to University’s hopes of controlling the contest and supplying their dangerous forward line.

(Keenan Johnson was crowed the League's Best and Fairest on Saturday Night)

Behind him, Captain David McCarthy provides a strong defensive presence and important leadership at the back. His experience and organisation will be vital against an NWG attack containing several players capable of creating something from nothing.

Read remains one of University’s greatest attacking weapons. The three-time league-leading goalscorer has struck 29 times in 21 games this season, with his drag flick making the Students particularly dangerous from penalty corners.

As formidable as that tally is, it was eclipsed by Oscar Sproule, who has taken his game to another level during an extraordinary campaign. The powerful forward has scored 41 goals, including an incredible stretch of seven hat-tricks across eight matches.

A member of the Australian Burras squad and now firmly established as one of the stars of the competition, Sproule combines strength, skill and ruthless finishing. After sending University into the Grand Final with his extra-time winner, he will again loom as one of the most influential players on the field.

(Sproule produced a superb individual campaign, scoring 41 times)

Tyson Johnson adds another dangerous dimension to the University attack. His performances at the Australian Under-21 Championships earned him Burras selection, underlining his status as one of Tasmania’s most exciting emerging talents.

NWG possess plenty of elite young talent of their own, led by Australian Burras representative Oliver Stebbings.

An outstanding defender with explosive speed and endurance, Stebbings can quickly transform defence into attack with his ability to carry the ball up the field. He is also an enormous threat from penalty corners, having scored 26 goals in just 16 appearances, including 10 across his past five outings.

(Stebbings has scored 10 in his past 5 outings, including a double in the Preliminary Final)

His younger brother Alastair, nicknamed “Turbo”, appears to be following a similar trajectory. The emerging defender produced a superb two-way performance in the Preliminary Final victory over DiamondBacks and will again have an important role to play at both ends of the ground.

Australian Under-18 representative Cruze Gray presents another significant attacking threat. Gray scored seven goals for Tasmania at the national championships and plays with genuine flair and confidence in the attacking half. Even during NWG’s heavy Round 6 loss to University, he demonstrated his quality by scoring a hat-trick.

Then there is the Angus Factor. One of the most exciting young hockey prospects in the entire country, Angus McMullen provides the spark in midfield. An outstanding dribbler with an eye for goal, McMullen possesses the ability to break a game open with a single moment of inspiration and will be crucial to NWG’s hopes of unlocking the University defence.

(McMullen's game breaking ability looms as a key to the Bulldogs hopes)

University enter with the confidence of the reigning premiers, a dominant head-to-head record and an attack that has reached historic heights. However, NWG have already shown they can defeat the Students this season and arrive battle-hardened after consecutive knockout victories.

Twelve months after University ended their long premiership drought at the Bulldogs’ expense, will the Students go back-to-back, or can NWG turn the tables, produce the upset and claim the 2026 Men’s Premier League title?