By: Megan Hustwaite
Twitter: @MeganHustwaite
AND then there were two.
The inaugural Deakin Uni Eastern Region Women’s season reaches a sensational crescendo this Sunday when Bayswater and Waverley Blues face off in a fascinating senior grand final at Lilydale.
Bayswater was the first team to book its place in the maiden decider, taking the express route by knocking off Mount Evelyn in the opening weekend of the finals series a fortnight ago.
Meanwhile, the Blues have tread the scenic route defeating Knox in the elimination final then stunning the minor premier and sending the Grovers out in straight sets with an emphatic preliminary-final triumph.
Over the last five years that the Waters have fielded a senior women’s team, skipper Zoe Alston has led her side through the hard times to the good times, a big climb up the ladder and now a crack at a maiden flag.
“It was such an amazing feeling winning through to the Grand Final and now that we finally know our opponent it definitely feels real now. We’re going to have be 100 per cent switched on because we only played Waverley once during the season and we actually lost to them and it’s going to be a very tough game,’’ she said.
“We’ve got only six players who have played football previously, the rest are newbies who have never played so to come this far all the girls are just so stoked.
“We’d lost a lot of girls so this is a completely different team this year. I’ve played all five years and we’d been pumped by more than 100 points every game so to have such a great season and make the grand final, it’s obviously the most enjoyable year I’ve had playing footy.”
A few tweaks to team preparation and a strong team bond have helped Bayswater create cornerstones of success according to Alston.
“I know our trainings have been a lot harder and we take recovery a lot more seriously now because the last couple of years we’ve had about 10 girls get career-ending injuries which has been horrible,’’ she said.
“And our team bonding has been an area too, we’ve really focused on that. On a Thursday night we go and have a meal together, talk about the game then put the game aside and talk about our lives. We’ve clicked together, we’re friends now, we look after each other and I think that’s comes through on the field and it makes such a difference.”
Following their 10-point qualifying win over Mount Evelyn on August 26, the Waters recovered on Monday night, trained Tuesday then Thursday, had a quiet, low key weekend and then gathered at Silvan Recreation Reserve to watch last Sunday’s preliminary final as a team.
The skipper‘s biggest take out of the tense match was the Blues sheer desperation: “They wanted that ball, they were to the ball first and pressured Mount Ev the whole game”.
“After watching the prelim I just said to the girls to forget our first final, we’ve got to focus on this game now, it’s going to be tough and we can’t go in cocky because it won’t pay off, not like a side against Waverley, not against anyone, that’s for sure.”
Alston has captained the senior side for the past five years and knows how much a first flag would be to so many.
“It would honestly be such an incredible feeling, after the last couple of years we’ve had it’d be unreal and from my point of view I’ve been captain all these years and to lead these girls and win I’d just be stoked. From the start to where we’ve come now is incredible and I’d just love to see all the girls faces, I’d be stoked to see how excited they’d be.”
The Blues’ fairy tale campaign stretched to the final week of the season with a 15-point victory over Mount Evelyn.
Coach Chris Goldstraw wasn’t surprised by the result.
“It was a hard-fought game but they did so well. It’s a relief but it’s not surprising in that I knew if we played well we were good enough to win.
“We made the most of our opportunities which was good because it was probably 50-50 in terms of forward entries, they kept coming but held on there in the last quarter which was really good.
“I just said it was a really fantastic team effort and that’s the mantra we’ve taken into each game, everyone knows their roles and everyone played them on Sunday and that’s what got us the win.”
Getting a team together, off the ground and on the winners list has prepared the Blues for a challenging finals series.
“We love a challenge, we’ve been challenged on and off the field all year with developing a team and also trying to win games. I just said enjoy this feeling right now but know we’ve got one more challenge to come,’’ Goldstraw said.
“This year has been a checklist and it’s one more tick now. The girls are pumped and were very happy after the game but they want more, they’re not satisfied with getting through they want to win it now. We had a close game when we played Bayswater earlier in the year so it’s going to be a fantastic game.”
The Blues will train as normal in the lead-up this week before enjoying a club dinner on last night.
“We’ll be focusing on the things we do well that have got us to this point. We know Bayswater are really hard at the ball so we’ve got to make sure we’re pressuring them at all times,’’ Goldstraw said.
The coach knows nothing but the Blues’ best will do this Sunday.
“We’re very aware of that. To win, well I think it’d be a fairy tale to be honest. To complete the season with a win, some people spend years and years chasing this and never play in one,’’ he said.
“I played in two Grand Finals in 18 years of footy so I don’t think the significance of this has washed over them, they’re really aware of how lucky they are but it’s the fact they’ve worked so hard and attacked each game with the same sort of intent and hunger.”
DEAKIN UNI SENIOR WOMEN’S GRAND FINAL
Bayswater v Waverley Blues
Sunday September 10
Lilydale Sports Oval
2.30pm
LAST TIME THEY MET
Round 14
Saturday August 12
Waverley Blues 3.3 (21) defeated Bayswater 2.2 (14) at Pinewood Reserve
Waverley Blues goal kickers: S. Bone, O. Baxter, S. Allen
Best players: B. Murphy, E. Bowden, O. Baxter, C. Krelle, S. Loh, L. Donaldson
Bayswater goal kickers: C. Wilson 2
