Jaguars handed the dominant Hawks their only loss of the season late last month, but were unable to repeat their heroics on the biggest day of the year.

The local side went down 3-0 at the Equex Centre on Sunday.

Junee was on the back foot early on as Henwood Park asserted its dominance in pursuit of its sixth consecutive premiership.

The Hawks scored two goals within the first eight minutes and adding a third just before half-time.

Jaguars were unable to break free of the minor premier’s unrelenting stranglehold as the final whistle blew with the scoreline still locked at 3-0.

Adding to Junee’s problems was an extremely wet and muddy field, which made scoring much needed catch-up goals increasingly difficult as the day wore on. 

Junee coach Craig Duncan said he was proud of his team for continuing to fight in the face of defeat.

“This side just never rolls over,” he said.

“We always keep going because we know that it's never over until the final whistle blows.”

Captain Steph Puttock echoed her coach post game, with nothing but positive things to say about her side. 

“It was good season and to make it last few years in a row is a good effort,” she said. 

“We had a lot of fun playing together this year and that’s why we play the game.”

Going down to Henwood Park during the post season has become a theme for Junee, and the club is alone in falling prey to the winners of six consecutive premierships. 

But Duncan said the club is not focused on extracting revenge on the Hawks next season.

“What’s most important to me is that the girls are enjoying their football,” he said. 

“Beating Henwood Park will come in time.”

It was an eventful year for the Jaguars, roaring into the finals with a 16-0 victory over Wagga United to round out the regular season.

The thrashing allowed Junee to snatch second spot from Tolland, trumping the Wolverines on goal difference at the eleventh hour. 

The Jaguars then lost comprehensively to first-placed Henwood Park in the semi finals, before trumping Tolland in the preliminary final to face Henwood Park once again in the big dance.