They were the defending champions but for much of 2021-22, all the talk was about red-hot Sydney FC and rivals Melbourne City.
Sydney only lost once en route to the Liberty A-League Finals Series and City finished just two points adrift, while Victory snuck into the play-offs on goal difference.
Victory, with COVID-19 wreaking havoc on the A-League Women calendar, were forced to play seven matches in February in a gruelling finale to the regular season.
Jeff Hopkins’ Victory entered the play-offs amid a five-match winless streak, but the rest is history.
Victory conquered Adelaide United in the Elimination Final, City in the Preliminary Final and Sydney 2-1 in Sunday’s thrilling Grand Final – a repeat of the 2020-21 decider.
Now four-time ALW champions and only the second ever team to go back-to-back in the competition, star midfielder Alex Chidiac said Victory had a point to prove this term.
“I think so,” Chidiac told Paramount+. “I mean people from the beginning counted us out and didn’t think we’d make it this far. We showed them today.”
Victory were forced to dig deep against Sydney on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors from Melbourne survived an onslaught from the Sky Blues, especially in the first half.
Casey Dumont was all that stood between Victory and Sydney, with the goalkeeper producing a player-of-the-match performance to thwart the Sky Blues.

“Sydney have been the benchmark all season, like Lia [Privitelli] said,” added Chidiac. “It was a very tough match. They had a lot of opportunities but I think our grit won the game for us today.”
Chidiac has been in inspired form during her loan spell from JEF United and the emotional Australia international thanked Victory for helping to rediscover her love of the game.
“I wanted to give everything to Victory because they have really put a lot of belief in me. They made really love football again. I’ve had a really difficult couple of years.
“I just wanted to fight for all the girls and get another championship. I was a bit emotional to be honest, I was crying as soon as the whistle went.
“This means a hell of a lot to me. I don’t know what the chapter is but we’ll see.”
Stand-in captain Lia Privitelli, with Kayla Morrison sidelined, told Network 10: “I thought Sydney were out here for revenge and we were out here for back-to-back.
“First half, to be honest they had the better of us. We knew we had to come out stronger and we did.
“We scored those goals. I couldn’t be prouder of this team and club.”

A registered nurse, Dumont has witnessed the first-hand effects of COVID. And in September 2020, Dumont suffered the greatest setback of her injury-riddled career.
A torn Achilles, which many footballers and sportspeople have not recovered from, triggered a spiral Dumont struggled to arrest.
But Dumont completed the ultimate comeback on Sunday as she inspired Victory to the grand prize on enemy turf.
“It’s a great feeling to be able to be with the club and get back-to-back. Bittersweet last season but then to be able to be with the girls to it again is fantastic,” said Dumont.
Dumont put her body on the line throughout the 90 minutes, producing save after save, while she struggled with apparent breathing difficulties before being clattered to the ground in the second period.
“I’m a bit of a tough cookie… the love I have for it [football], makes me want to keep coming back,” she said.
“But also the great support network I have. I can’t thank them enough, constantly there with me… They’ve been able to help push me. Your mind is pretty strong in being able to know what your body can take.”
The Championship celebrations are barely underway but Privitelli is already eyeing a three-peat.
“Some girls are going overseas and people know that. But we will be back for a third time,” Privitelli declared.