By: Matt Fotia
IT’S that time of year once again.
After a gruelling season packed full of emotions, big hits, great goals and spectacular marks, we have finally reached the final weekend of the Deakin Uni Eastern Region Women’s season.
We’re left with four teams still standing, ready to go to battle on Sunday at the Lilydale Sports Oval, for the ultimate prize. Regardless of the results, it will be the first senior premiership for the two victors, after last season’s premier Bayswater was knocked out of the Division 1 race in the preliminary final, and of course Division 2 has only begun in 2018, leaving both sides without a previous premiership.
Starting at 10am, the Division 2 grand final will be contested by the Donvale and Blackburn football clubs. Donvale brimming with confidence having lost just one game all season, whilst Blackburn will being focusing on the fact that nothing but Sunday matters in the grand scheme of things.
The sides have met on three occasions this season, with Donvale winning each time. Blackburn came closest to knocking off the Magpies in the second semi final, where their woeful goal kicking let them down. Blackburn finished the game with eight more scoring shots (15-7), but was only able to kick two majors to Donvale’s five. The second half saw Blackburn kick 1.7 whilst the accurate Magpies whacked on 3.1.
Magpies captain Tina Liu returns for the grand final. PICTURE: Donvale Football Club
Donvale has been the superior side in both defence and attack across the competition this season, having scored the most points (1084) and conceded just 181. Blackburn, who finished second with a record of 11-4, has scored 836 and conceded 281.
Donvale’s forward line is a hard one to match up on when you consider the multitude of options. Spearhead Monica Latino has 50 goals for the season and is the obvious starting point, however Jess Crundall (23), Elise Hoole (19, including 4 against Blackburn in 2018) and Alannah Antonellos (13, including 4 against Blackburn in 2018) must be treated with respect, or they could get off the chain and hurt the Burners.
Blackburn’s forward line is a much easier one to analyse for opposition teams. Its two key targets have had fantastic seasons, with Eliana Parratt and Ellie Cleland both kicking over 30 goals (34 & 32 respectively). Parratt and Cleland both have the ability to completely take over a game as well with a big bag. Parratt has a best of six, whilst Cleland has kicked a bag of seven.
The problem however for Blackburn is not the efforts of its dynamic duo, but rather what lays beyond them. Kimberley Lo and Amber Thorn are the next highest goalkickers for the Burners with nine and eight goals for the year. Abbey Jordanov has six for the season and did pop up with one of the two Blackburn goals a fortnight ago against the Magpies.
She may need more than one come Sunday.
It’s hard to see Blackburn winning without at least one, if not both of Parratt and Cleland firing and kicking at least three goals. Donvale has too much firepower for Blackburn to contain for four quarters. The Magpies will no doubt be putting energy into the Burners two goalkickers, so they simply must get off the leash if Blackburn is to win.
Tip: Donvale by 15 points Best on ground – Blue Ribbon Medal: Alexandra Blackburn (Donvale)
FOLLOWING on from the Division 2 grand final is the blockbuster Division 1 clash between Vermont and Mount Evelyn.
Vermont fresh from the week off after they won the second semi final, against Mount Evelyn, whilst the Rovers will be running hot after their big win over Bayswater.
Vermont skipper Marissa Lee flies for a mark. PICTURE: Garry Sparke
The Rovers finished in first position on the ladder with a record of 14-1, two games clear of the Eagles who finished 12-3. Both sides have been equally as successful with the ball moving forwards, having scored over 900 points for the season. Mount Evelyn is the slightly stronger side defensively (according to the statistics) conceding just 208 points for the season, compared to Vermont’s 280.
The two sides have met twice during the year, with the aforementioned second semi-final squaring the ledger at one apiece. Mount Evelyn won the first encounter in Round 8 by 18 points, 6.8.44 to Vermont 4.2.26, with all the goals coming in the second half of the game.
The second semi-final saw Vermont’s accurate kicking get it into the final, as it kicked 4.1 to 3.10 in the first half of the game, eventually winning by six points.
Across the two matches, Mount Evelyn has had 32 scoring shots to just 20, but it is only winning the aggregate score 92 to 90, showcasing how wasteful it has been in front of goal when it has come up against the Eagles.
Neither side has an out and out spearhead, but Hayley O’Neill (24 goals) and Katelyn Betts (23) lead the way for Vermont and Mount Evelyn respectively. O’Neill kicked three goals in Vermont’s victory over the Rovers two weeks ago, whilst Betts has been a consistent goal kicker having played just three games for the whole year without hitting the scoresheet.
Mount Evelyn will also be looking at Isobel Urqhart to pick up from where she left off last weekend. She nailed five majors in the Rovers’ big win over Bayswater, bringing her season tally up to 22. Urqhart is a danger player for Vermont, as she has appeared in the best players on nine occasions, as well as kicking 22 majors. Isabella Rennick has also appeared in Mount Evelyn’s best players nine times this season.
O’Neill may be Vermont’s answer to Urqhart as she too has been in the Eagles best on nine occasions, and has the capability to kick multiple goals, with two bags of four, and two bags of three this season. The Eagles will also be looking to Marissa Lee and Annaliese Carroll to perform. They have been in the Eagles best players eight times each.
Vermont will need to put in a complete defensive effort across the whole ground, not just the defensive-50, and continue its sharp-shooting ways if they are to run out winners on Sunday afternoon.
Mount Evelyn has great scoring power with four players having kicked 10-plus goals this season, two of which with over 20, meaning there is no one player they must shut down, rather you must shut down their ball movement.
If the Eagles are to win, don’t be surprised if Nicola Junginger has a blinder, she’s been in the best just three times this year, but has featured in there on both meetings with the Rovers, including a best on ground in their win a fortnight ago.
Tip: Mount Evelyn by eight points Best on ground – Blue Ribbon Medal: Katelyn Betts (Mount Evelyn)
All views expressed in this article remain those of the author and not necessarily those of the Eastern Football League or its affiliated clubs.