It was a huge weekend for women’s soccer in the region, with three local teams from three different clubs taking out grand final victories.

The undefeated Over 40s Jamberoo Ravens capped off their perfect season in dramatic fashion, scoring the only goal of the game with just three minutes left on the clock to claim a 1-0 win.

“Someone asked the referee how long was left, and he said, ‘Well, you could be playing an extra 10 each way.’ And we were like, we have to get this done,” said Ravens captain Simone Boulton. “So it was such a relief when we scored that goal.”

The Ravens finished the regular season on top of the ladder with 13 wins and two draws from 15 matches.

“We had the perfect year. I remember before our first semi-final, a few of the girls were nervous. I just told them, ‘It’s no different to any other game. We’ve had the same conversations before every game this season, and we’re going to do it again,’” Boulton said.

Having played alongside many of her teammates for over 15 years, Boulton believes their longstanding bond played a key role in the team’s success.

“I think 15 years of playing together has allowed us to build friendships outside of soccer. We’re all just really nice people who go out there to do our best. We all share the same goal and are driven by that. I think it’s just knowing each other for so damn long,” she said.

Also finishing undefeated in 2025 was the Kiama Quarriers’ All Age Division One team, who sealed their grand final win with a late second-half goal.

“There were only about 10 minutes to go when they scored. It was really exciting - and we were so nervous watching from the sideline, that’s for sure,” said Nerissa Peterson, Secretary of the Kiama Quarriers Football Club.

The full Jamberoo Ravens O40's squad. Photo: Jamberoo Football Club

“It was a big crowd, too. We don’t usually play in front of big crowds during the season, but there were a lot of people there. It was late in the afternoon, everyone was euphoric, and the girls all ran onto the pitch cheering and celebrating. They’ve just had such a great season, so it was really special that they could finish it like that.”

Peterson also praised the rise in quality of women’s football locally and credited the success of teams like Jamberoo, Kiama, and Gerringong as a reflection of that.

“There are more people continuing to play women’s football, and the standard is improving every year. You can see it across the clubs in our area. We’re all playing well, and the clubs all get along - it’s a good thing for the sport,” she said.

Looking ahead to 2026, Peterson said the club is focused on strengthening the connection between Kiama’s junior and senior football programs.

“We’re working closely with the junior club to create a stronger pathway. We’ve already seen that this year with some of the boys coming through,” she said. 

“The girls in the junior club are still a little young, but we want to make that connection early so they can see there’s a path for them, too.”

“We’re also working towards a full club merger. The executives are in discussions now, because we want to be one united club - and be really strong for the Illawarra.”

Rounding out the weekend of success for local women’s football, the Gerringong Breakers All Age Division Three team also came out on top in their grand final, beating Fairy Meadow 2–1. 

The Breakers not only won the grand final but also claimed the league title, completing a double-winning season.

The three wins are a reflection of the immense improvement of women's soccer in the area - and it’s only getting better!