By: Matt Fotia
VERMONT withstood a late Mount Evelyn comeback at the Lilydale Sports Oval to come away with the Deakin University Eastern Region Women’s Division 1 premiership on Sunday, winning by eight points in a thrilling encounter.
The Eagles had led all day before the Rovers sparked the game to life, kicking the first two goals of the final term, and at the 16-minute mark, the game seemed destined for extra time, the scores locked at 33 apiece.
But the Eagles steadied to come away with the victory and were deserved winners, defeating the minor premiers in both finals clashes, and having eight more scoring shots throughout the decider.
The Eagles had jumped out to an early lead at quarter time, holding the usually free-flowing Rovers to just the one behind in the opening quarter and if not for some inaccurate kicking, the Eagles, who shot 2.3 in the first, could have put the game to bed there and then, but that would be the story of the day, their inaccuracy keeping Mount Evelyn interested.
However as is often the case at the Lilydale Sports Oval, a scoring end does develop. In a mirror image to the first term, Mount Evelyn kept Vermont to just one behind, kicking two goals itself. Crucially however, they were only able to manage two behinds, giving the Eagles the half time lead.
It was evident that whoever could score more heavily to the goal barren end would leave the ground as the victors. At this stage the two sides were locked at one behind each.
Mount Evelyn was able to kick a goal to the non-scoring end, but wasn’t able to contain the Eagles who replicated their opening term, kicking two goals and three behinds once again. With a deficit of just 10 points, the Rovers would have no doubt fancied their chances of a come-from-behind victory.
But it was seemed it was purely their second half efficiency that had kept them in the contest. The Rovers managed just three scoring shots in the second half and to their credit converted them all. On the other hand the Eagles managed 10 scoring shots, kicking three goals seven. I doubt the Eagles fans will care much about semantics however, those extra seven behinds ended up being the difference, and no one will look back at the end of the week annoyed at their failure to win by more, victory often clouds our analysis.
It would have been a different story late in the final term though. The Rovers and Eagles both had two scoring shots to the 16-minute mark, the Rovers kicking truly and the Eagles’ wayward kicking leaving the possibility of extra time, much worse defeat well and truly on the forefront of everyone’s minds.
With a sense of justice however the Eagles managed to steady and kick away. They still managed to keep everyone interested until the final siren however, converting just one of their three scoring shots after the 16th minute.
The forward lines of each side were the opposites. The Rovers clearly lacking a focal point to give them an easy out going forward, had to work hard for their chances, with five individual goal kickers. Vermont on the other hand had just two goal kickers, but both put in arguably their best performances for the year.
Jess Elder kicked three goals and appeared in the Vermont best for just the third occasion for 2018, whilst Tennille Nash popped up with the other two goals. To rub salt into the Mount Evelyn wound, it was Nash’s first appearance on the goal kickers list since July.
Vermont’s runaway winner of best player in finals produced another stellar performance. Nicola Junginger was the Eagles’ best in their second semi-final victory a fortnight ago, and she showed her love for playing the Rovers. This time she finished second-best, behind only the inspirational Nash. Junginger’s name would no doubt send shivers down the spine of the Rovers players. Three appearances against them and each and every time she’s got the better of them.
Despite the tight result and enthralling final minutes, the winners deserved their medals definitively. If only they had their kicking boots on, they could’ve soaked it up a little bit longer.
The crowd at the Lilydale Sports Oval would surely have been sick of the constant palpitations and goosebumps they encountered on Sunday afternoon.
The curtain-raiser to the thriller that was the Division 1 decider was an equally, if not more thrilling, Division 2 play-off.
Donvale walked away victorious, winning the clash by four points, overturning a three-point deficit at the final change in a low scoring game that saw both sides only manage three goals each for the entire game. The tale of the tape however is Blackburn’s book-ended performance which saw it kept goalless in the first and final quarters.
Donvale controlled the game for the first term with an incredible, solid defensive opening, keeping Blackburn not only goalless but scoreless. Donvale itself was not free-flowing, but was able to hit the scoreboard, kicking 1.2 to lead by eight points at the first break.
Blackburn kept the second quarter at a stalemate as both sides managed one goal apiece, maintaining the eight-point margin at the main break. With just seven scoring shots between the two sides after 40 minutes, it was already evident that if one player could take the game by the scruff of the neck, they would drag their side across the line.
Blackburn was able to turn the tables of its horror first term, keeping Donvale to just three behinds in the third term, as the Panthers kicked two majors themselves. Since the first term Blackburn had been the much better side, much more efficient inside forward 50, kicking 3.3 to Donvale’s 1.4, and headed into the final change with a three-point lead. The Burners seemed destined to show that you don’t need to play four quarters of football to win a game.
Unfortunately for the Blackburn faithful, you do need to play at least three, and that’s what Donvale did. The Magpies kicked 1.3 in the final term to Blackburn’s two behinds, the Burners second goalless term for the game.
The game, rather than a battle of firepower, was an encounter of defensive structures, with the side who could keep the opposition at bay the longest the eventual winners. Blackburn managed just two behinds in the first and final terms, Donvale’s goalless quarter was the better of the three, scoring an enviable three behinds.
Donvale’s goals came from the boot of returning skipper Tina Liu, goal-sneak Jess Crundall and spearhead Monica Latino, whose 51st goal for the season will no doubt be her favourite. Alannah Antonellos continued her love affair with Blackburn, by finishing best afield in a premiership win.
It may not have been how they envisaged it as their heads hit the pillow on Saturday night, but Donvale got what it deserved, the premiership cup. For Blackburn, the loss will fuel its pre-season when it comes back around, but for now it will just have to bubble under the surface, ready to explode in 2019.