2026 win-loss records
Kingston: 16 wins, 1 loss
Lucindale: 12 wins, 7 losses
Leading Times in the Best Players:
Kingston: Harry Tunkin 9, Thomas Rogers 8, William Watts 7, Sam Robertson 7, Ben Warner 7, Hagan Wright 7, Jack Armfield 6, Jack Tapfield 5, Alex Barns 5, Edward Shaw 5.
Lucindale: Tyson Brazel 11, Anthony McCarthy 11, Alexander Pitt 10, Tom Fisher 10, Riley Clarke 9, Jack Yates 8, Thomas Gould 7, Riley McFarlane 7, Matt Kelsh 6, Ryan Kemp 5.
Leading Goal Kickers
Kingston: Connor Nutting 34, Alex Barns 29, Ben Warner 28, James Siviour 23, Hagan Wright 21, George Brice-Marwood 11, Hugo Fahlbusch-Moore 11, Harry Tunkin 8, Hugo Lyon 8, Todd Lockwood 8.
Lucindale: Tyson Brazel 39, Ryan Kemp 26, Alexander Pitt 15, Tom Fisher 13, Matt Kelsh 9, Harry Hogan 9, Anthony McCarthy 8, Luke Kelsh 8, Riley McFarlane 7, Lachie Jones 5.
2026 Meetings
Round 7 at Lucindale
Lucindale 7-12-54
Kingston 9-9-63
Round 16 at Kingston
Kingston 10-10-70
Lucindale 9-11-65
Second Semi-Final at Naracoorte
Kingston 13-10-88
Lucindale 4-5-29
Grand Final Preview:
The two teams who faced off in the second semi-final face off again at Mundulla in the 2026 Kowree Naracoorte-Tatiara grand final. The weather is forecast to be perfect for a grand final, and so there will be no excuses for either team to not play their best football.
The weather will be the complete opposite from the second semi-final at Naracoorte, when Kingston proved to be too strong for the Roos in wet and windy conditions.
The Coaches
Alex Barns (Kingston): Alex leads from the front in every game he plays. He is a big man and a very talented ruck who rarely gets beaten. His ruck work is a major reason why the Saints get so many clearances. Alex gets his big body in the road and taps the ball down to the Saints runners to clear the ball. Alex can also go forward and kick goals. Tactically, he is as good as anyone in the league when needing to make a change, and with bench coach Kevin Wright's help, they have formed a dangerous coaching setup that is hard to counter.
Riley McFarlane (Lucindale): A strong coach who has his team playing a very solid game style at the right time of the year. Lucindale's players are a strong unit that play hard in every game for Riley, and his leadership is a big reason why. The Roos seem to lift around him. He is good at giving young players a job, and those players are getting the job done. Riley can play everywhere on the ground that his team needs. He will have his team ready to put up a big fight on Saturday.
The game outlook:
Grand Finals are always different beasts to handle, as some teams fold on the biggest day and some teams thrive. I always think a team needs their first goal to settle into a contest. It doesn't have to be the first goal of the game, but ideally inside the first three scored. Kingston found that out last year with their slow start against Mundulla. The Tigers jumped them in the first quarter, and it took the Saints the rest of the game to claw their way back into the contest. They fell short last year of the win, and it has been a driving force of their 2026 season to set things right.
Lucindale also lost to Mundulla in crazy circumstances last season in the first semi-final. The Roos lost some key players in the off-season but picked up a couple of handy players such as Tyson Brazel. The Roos continue to show their worth every week and deserve their spot in the Grand Final.
Both teams and towns are buzzing with excitement. The Roos haven't won a flag since 2022, while Kingston is on a long drought, with their last flag coming in 1984.
Kingston has been the strongest team in the league in 2026, as they have the best attack and the best defence in the league.
James Siviour's return, along with the recruitment of Chris Barns and Connor Nutting, made the Saints look far stronger in the forward line than in 2025. Chris was in great form until a season-ending injury struck him down in round 5 against Kybybolite. The return of James Siviour has helped cover the loss, and James looked good in the second semi-final. Lucindale will have a plan or two on how to stop the Saints' dangerous forward line if the weather is clear. The Roos at the other end of the ground have some scoring forwards as well. Tyson Brazel has been in great form all year long. Ryan Kemp can take a big mark and score multiple goals. Alexander Pitt and Tom Fisher are two midfielders who love to push forward and kick a goal for the Roos.
Anthony McCarthy, Jack Yates, and Riley Clarke have all been strong for Lucindale this season. All three have been very consistent. Anthony in particular should poll very high in the Lucindale Best and Fairest.
On Kingston's side of things, their midfield rotations are the strongest in the league. The Saints start with Alex Barns in the ruck, and he can be switched with Hugo Lyon and Jack Harding at any point in the game. This allows Alex to float forward and become a danger in the forward line for the opposition. The Saints on ballers include League Medalist Harry Tunkin, Hagan Wright, Jack Armfield, William Watts, Ben Warner and Thomas Matsouliadis. They have many options. The Roos will have to be on their game to keep the packs tight and not let Kingston break away with the ball. Another Saints player who is a danger is Campbell Watts, who loves to initiate attacks off halfback. Campbell will chip and receive the whole game if you let him. The Roos will be across that and try to limit it.
For Lucindale to get the victory, I would think they will have to keep it tight and not let Kingston run and carry the ball. The Saints move the ball quickly if you give them space. Thomas Gould, Riley Clarke and Riley McFarlane will be the important players in defence. Set up a wall to stop Kingston from getting quality shots at goal. The Saints have proved that they use the ball against any defence very well and will be confident they can overcome anything the Roos throw at them.
Final Thoughts: The Saints go into the game as red-hot favourites and deserve to be. They have faced every challenge this season and passed it. The team looks more switched on than last year, and the coach is so driven to end the club's premiership drought that he won't let the team stop until they succeed on Saturday.
The Roos will throw everything at the Saints and will not throw in the towel, but the Saints will be ready and should get across the line.
Prediction: Kingston by 30 points
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