Wollongong Wolves are the National Premier Leagues Champions 2019.
Luke Wilkshire’s side played out a thrilling 4-3 extra-time victory against ten-man Lions FC to lift the title for the first time.
Thomas James struck twice to help decide the result as Wollongong powered up in extra-time and condemned Lions to back-to-back NPL Grand Final defeats.
Shaun Carlos headed the NPL Queensland outfit ahead from Andy Thompson’s 13th-minute corner as Lions held a slender advantage going into the halt-time interval.
The hosts hit back after the break when Harry Callahan was sent tumbling in the area and James converted from the penalty spot to level the score at 1-1 on 52 minutes.
Japanese forward Takeru Okada thought he had the winner for the New South Wales side when he pounced on a rebound, after Lachlan Scott’s effort was saved, in the 80th minute to make it 2-1.
The lead lasted only four minutes when substitute Marek Madle’s diving header from Josh Brindell-South’s delivery locked it back up at Albert Butler Park.
Warren Moon’s hopes of bringing the NPL title back to Queensland for the first time were dented deep into stoppage time when Lions’ Mitchell Hore saw red for a second booking.
Wolves’ Bal Jauch broke the deadlock with a towering header in the 109th minute before James' stinging drive gave Wollongong a cushion at 4-2 on 116 minutes.
Joe Duckworth’s 119th-minute penalty gave Lions a glimmer of hope but Wollongong held on to be crowned champions and secure automatic entry to the FFA Cup 2020 Final Rounds.
Watch a live stream of a thrilling Grand Final below