A near flawless performance from Panthers playmaker Jess Hotham and an influential kicking display from captain Monique Christie-Johnson helped Panthers to a five tries to two triumph, completing back-to-back titles.

They have now lost just once in two seasons.

“Regardless of what grade you’re talking about, to go through a season undefeated at senior level is a huge effort and I’m very proud of what they’ve done,” Panthers coach Dave Elvy said.

“To keep turning up and winning week in, week out shows the sort of effort they have put in. They all want to improve and have done a lot of extra sessions on their own.

“Some of them struggled just to catch the ball when they started. It’s been awesome.”

St Pat’s started the stronger of the two sides and had a couple of close calls without being able to turn it into points.

They finally got on the board in the 10th minute when a brilliant 40-20 kick from Mish Somers put the blue and whites back on the attack, and Harriet Messner crossed under the posts after a great weaving run.

Somers’ conversion gave them a 6-0 lead, and she almost repeated her 40-20 from the very next set.

Having forced a Panthers mistake deep in Panthers’ territory, Pat’s looked set to extend that margin, but some errors of their own helped the minor premiers finally work their way out of their own end.

Having got their first taste of possess-ion in the opposition half, they took their opportunity immediately as Hotham delivered a perfect grubber kick for Matilda Power.

Power converted to level scores, though there appeared to be a knock-on during a break just prior to the try.

A key moment arrived nine minutes from half-time when a Pat’s error led to Christie-Johnson strolling through the defence to score her team’s second.

Suddenly it was St Pat’s battling to get the ball out of their own half, and they paid the price as a high kick from Christie-Johnson sat up perfectly for a flying Claire Woolmington, who scored her team’s third.

Trailing 14-6 at the break, Pat’s needed to lift, and they did.

Bridgid Rhynehart went on a long run down the right touchline straight after play resumed and scored their second, and the conversion from Somers had her team back within two.

Hotham made a decisive contribution mid-way through the half with a typically elusive run, and Power’s goal restored the eight-point gap.

On the back of a penalty, just the fourth of the match, Gabby Bugg gave Panthers their fifth of the match, though Power’s missed goal kept Pat’s within two converted tries with 13 minutes to play.

They mounted a number of attacking raids and kept Panthers under pressure, but couldn’t break the defence, and as time ran out, their efforts became more desperate.

The clock finally beat them, making Panthers the first team in the brief history of the competition to claim two titles.

“I’ve been involved in senior footy for 19 years and never been with a team that’s gone undefeated, so it’s a big thing,” Elvy said.

“We were strong across the park today – we had to be, because Pat’s started well and had us on the back foot early.”

Somers’ kicking game kept St Pat’s in the territorial battle all through the match, while Messner was a handful with the ball and also one of her side’s most impressive defenders.

BATHURST PANTHERS 24 (Jess Hotham, Monique Christie-Johnson, Gabby Bugg, Claire Woolmington, Matilda Power tries; Matilda Power 2 goals) defeated ST PAT’S 12 (Bridgid Rhynehart, Harriet Messner tries; Mish Somers 2 goals)