Almost 15 years ago to the day as the referee blew the final whistle to signal yet another win for Box Hill Inter over arch-rivals Heidelberg United, few would have predicted the long struggle both clubs would have to re-establish their influence in the Women’s game.
But as the 2025 season draws to a close at the Home of the Matildas on Saturday afternoon, Victoria’s greatest Grand Final rivalry resumes on the grandest stage yet.
Box Hill Inter versus Heidelberg United became such a permanent fixture on the final day of the football calendar, that there was barely a need for a home-and-away campaign to determine the ultimate combatants. Between 2006 and 2010, they contested every season decider, and Box Hill won all but one of those encounters to assert their dominance over the rest of the competition.
The heart of Box Hill were together for nine seasons, and you would be hard pressed to omit any of these names from a provisional team of the decade – Yvette Muscat, Daniela Digiammarco, Katrina Smith, Melissa Barbieri, Jessica Humble, Georgia Koutrouvelis, Amanda Lawless, Anthea Vardakas, Chiara Romano, Krystal McCluskey and Aleks Sinclair are genuine legends of the game throughout this period. Throw in inaugural Victory alumni Louisa Bisby, Tal Karp and Marlies Oostdam, and Inter were rarely headed.
But Heidelberg United were able to stop them in their tracks on more than one occasion throughout their home-and-away clashes, and claimed a maiden championship in 2007, led by club legends Rita Mankowska, Belinda Pannella and Jamara Maza, along with able support from Mel Camilleri, Lucy Balta, Penny Bakopoulos and Megan Archer. While it proved their only victory in five Grand Finals against their rivals, the Bergers were an ever-present on the final day of the season.
While Inter amalgamated with Southern Suburbs to claim a ninth Championship as Box Hill United in 2012, it would be a dozen years before either club would claim the ultimate silverware. The birth of the NPLW in 2016 witnessed a wave of investment from new clubs Calder United, Alamein and Geelong Galaxy leaving their once dominant counterparts in their wake. Heidelberg finished dead last in 2017 and only returned to Finals action in 2022, while this is the first year that Box Hill find themselves in such company in the NPL era.
As both clubs step onto the field of play to re-engage a Grand Final rivalry long overdue, they can look back at their contemporaries knowing the stage has been set for an epic encounter. Can Box Hill United claim a record equaling tenth Championship? Will Heidelberg United go back-to-back and create a new legacy as they farewell modern great Steph Galea? All will be revealed come Saturday evening.
The 2025 NPLW Grand Final will be broadcast live and free on the NPL Victoria YouTube Channel.
