After three rounds of VFL Women's action, Melbourne Uni, Darebin Falcons and Eastern Devils all remain undefeated.
The MUGARS now top the ladder in VFL Women's, with some percentage boosting wins to start the season.
This week we review St Kilda's hard fought win over VU Western Spurs and Melbourne Uni's big win over Cranbourne.
Sharks race home for win
St Kilda has fought off a persistent VU Western Spurs to claim a win on the road and stay within striking distance of the top four in Round 3 VFL Women’s.
For two and a half quarters, the Spurs successfully frustrated the Sharks by negating their run and denying them room for efficient disposal, but St Kilda settled in the final term to run out winners 9.11 65 to 5.3 33 as Callum O’Connor reports.
As St Kilda continued to miss chances and fail to adjust to the Spurs’ well-applied game plan deep into the third quarter, the Henry Turner Memorial Reserve crowd began to stir at the scent of an upset.
However, St Kilda finally burst through the Spurs’ defence through sheer weight of entries forward. The Sharks kicked six goals across a twenty-minute burst to blow the final margin out to 32 points, an unfair indication of what was a mostly dour, scrappy and low-scoring affair.
Before VU Western clamped the locks, St Kilda opened the match with their typical freewheeling game style. With Brianna Davey single-handedly putting St Kilda ahead in the clearances and Jasmine Garner netting a pair within the first ten minutes following a constant flurry of action in the Sharks’ forward line, it seemed as if the contest could turn ugly.
In the second quarter however, the Spurs’ midfielders set a problematic wall across half-back and repelled every Shark kick out of defence. Their forwards moved smartly, making space and converting from a series of short, accurate passes. Naomi Ferres, Ainslie Kemp and captain Bree White provided fantastic grunt around the stoppages that led to the Spurs’ forays towards forwards Ash Gunn, Alex Quigley and Ainslie Kemp.
The most successful tactic by the Spurs’ brains trust was unfolding deep in defence. Full back Lauren Senserrick had been handed the ominous task of guarding St Kilda’s Moana Hope, who had kicked fourteen goals in her first two matches. By keeping Hope deep in the Sharks’ forward line and denying her any room for bursting onto the lead, Senserrick held the most dangerous player on the field to a handful of possessions and a single goal for three quarters. That goal however kick-started St Kilda’s match-winning burst but Senserrick was nonetheless judged best afield for her flawless performance.
St Kilda dominated the third quarter but were repeatedly repelled. The match reached a crossroads where the Sharks would either be defending a slender lead in the final term or break through to kick the goals their forward activity warranted. Happily for them, it was the latter: Tamara Hyett became her side’s main target up forward to kick two second half goals while Garner returned to take her match tally to four. Across the midfield, the Sharks beat the Spurs at their own game as Davey, Phoebe McWilliams and Jenna Bruton provided excellent rebound.
St Kilda coach Shaun Smith was frustrated by his side’s shaky disposal and poor goal kicking, but was pleased that they found a way to win.
“You’d love to be able to rely on Mo every week, but some weeks we won’t be able to. So it was great that Tamara [Hyett] became a mobile option up forward,” Smith said.
VU Western Spurs coach Debbie Lee was delighted by her side’s improved ball movement, noting that the Spurs’ inexperienced forward line will improve as the season goes on. Unsurprisingly, she saved her most glowing appraisal for her full back.
“If anyone wants to draft Lauren Senserrick this year, that performance is all they need to watch. She was outstanding,” Lee said.
MUGARS make it three from three
THE stage was set for Cranbourne at Frenken Homes Oval as the Eagles hosted Melbourne University in their VFL Women’s home opener, just moments after unveiling their 2015 VWFL Division 1 flag.
However, a rampant Melbourne University side brought Cranbourne supporters crashing back down to earth, recording their second hundred point win in as many games.
Young star Jess Anderson, Gabriella Pound and Emma Kearney all kicked three goals as the MUGARS dominated from start to finish, finishing 17.10 112 to the Eagles 0.3 3 as Michael Di Petta reports.
Kearney in particular played a leading role for Melbourne, driving the ball forward to have her hand in a wide array of University scores.
Despite the best efforts of Danielle Hardiman in defence for Cranbourne, Melbourne University was able to move the ball forward on a regular basis.
The MUGARS started the game in extremely familiar fashion for VFL Women’s fans; Ellie Blackburn won the ball out of the centre and fed speedy winger Kaitlyn Ashmore on the outside. The pair combined for a handful of majors in the first term, and University’s superb run and carry saw them jump out to a six-goal lead at the first change.
Cranbourne were able to stem the tide slightly in the second quarter, increasing their tackle pressure and locking down the dangerous Ashmore on the wing. Fortunately for the MUGARS, a host of players stepped up to reproduce her output, in particular Nicole Hildebrand.
At the halftime whistle, Cranbourne were still scoreless, while Melbourne University piled on 9.6 60.
The game became a slightly drier spectacle in the second half, as Melbourne University’s quick play on game style continued to overwhelm the Eagles. Cranbourne enjoyed a purple patch in which they managed to score three quick behinds, but were unable to convert forward fifty pressure into precious goals.
Hildebrand, Kearney and Blackburn continued to move the ball forward with pace and precision, and 18 year old Jess Anderson capped off her second game in style with two classy final term goals.
Despite performing a strong job throughout the game on star player Ashmore, Cranbourne were beaten by the sum of Melbourne’s parts, who combined especially well by hand to lock up the 109 point victory.
Melbourne University coach Andrew Jago, despite being pleased with the result, still believes his side can improve in certain areas.
“Our final little bit of polish, when we are bringing the ball inside fifty is something we do need to get better at,” Jago said.
“Our outside speed is quite good, but then that final little bit of polish to deliver the ball to our forwards is something we can work on.”
MUGAR of the moment Jess Anderson labeled her VFL Women’s experience so far as “a dream come true”, and hopes she can continue to gel with the side as the season progresses.
“Hopefully I can learn to sync with the girls really well… the key is to work as a team and that’s how you win premierships, so hopefully I can learn to fit in with these guys and just learn from every single one of them.”
Other results:
Darebin d Seaford by 94 points
Diamond Creek d Geelong by 55 points
Eastern Devils d Knox by 185 points.
CLICK HERE for full results
CLICK HERE for the ladder
Round 4 VFL Women's will return on Sunday May 1 after a break for the VWFL All Star v ADF All Stars plus U22 Vic Country & Vic Metro games this Sunday at Port Melbourne. CLICK HERE for more info on those matches.
*Photo: Cameron Grimes
Last Modified on 19/04/2016 17:14
