Week 1 of the Swisse VFL Women's Finals Series has been completed, with convincing wins to Melbourne Uni and Darebin.
Callum O'Connor takes as a look at both finals
ELIMINATION FINAL: Uni turns tables on Devils
Melbourne Uni has won their elimination final clash against the Eastern Devils by 24 points to earn a Preliminary Final showdown with St Kilda.
In a complete turnaround from the Mugars’ Round 16 loss to the Devils, Uni outran, out-attacked and outworked their opponents to control the first half and set up an impressive 6.14 (50) to 4.2 (26) victory at Box Hill City Oval, as Callum O’Connor reports.
Halfway through the opening quarter, it was clear that Melbourne Uni had learnt their lessons from their loss three weeks earlier. The Mugars dominated the Devils in contested ball and forward entries, and denied any rebound attempts with excellent pressure and positioning.
The real Mugar masterstroke was their match-ups. Dynamic Devil midfielder Jaimee Lambert was blanketed by a rotating combination of Maddie Keryk, Emma Kearney and Brooke Lochland while outside ball winner Hannah Scott endured a torrid half against Ellie Blackburn. Throw in the ability of those same Mugars to win the ball and link forward and Melbourne Uni completed a clinical half of football.
However, the Mugars’ dominance was dampened by wasteful goal kicking as they blazed away for 3.10 in the first half. For all their successful tactics, their lead was just 16 points and a match that should have been over was far from it.
Any thoughts of a Devils’ fightback in the second half was put to bed as goals to Catherine Phillips, Jess Anderson and Blackburn blew the margin out to 37 points.
There were moments when it seemed Melbourne Uni would rue their inaccuracy only to stand firm and maintain their performance.
The Devils threatened in the last quarter as Lambert and forward Sarah D’Arcy finally broke free. It took a cool-headed solo performance from defender Nicola Stevens to ensure the Devils did not get too close. Melbourne Uni lost ruck Alicia Janz before the bounce and Blackburn, Kearney and defender Nicole Hildebrand all hobbled off in the second half but Uni still had winners and momentum all over the ground.
As is often the case in finals, the players who gave the Mugars their winning edge were not the usual headliners but their quiet support acts. Bailey Hunt was the indisputable victor in her match-up on Devil playmaker Lauren Tesoriero, not only keeping her to a handful of touches and no goals but winning the ball across half-back.
After an excellent home and away season, Brooke Lochland pushed herself to the next level with a tremendous match in the centre. Ultimate Frisbee recruit Phillips was the day’s biggest surprise packet, kicking two goals and looking increasingly comfortable and dangerous with the ball in hand.
The Devils were outplayed, unable to replicate the tough, efficient football that has seen them shoot up the ladder in 2016. Their best four-quarter players – Katherine Smith, Jess Sibley, Bec Privitelli and Tahni Nestor – were all defenders.
Although delighted with his side’s professionalism, Melbourne Uni coach Andrew Jago said his side will now have to start all over ahead of their Preliminary Final.
“We’ll have to learn our lessons and do our homework. All year we’ve coached to develop. We’re now coaching to strategy.”
Melbourne Uni will now play St Kilda at North Port Oval on Sunday September 11.
SEMI FINAL: Clinical Falcons
A dominant Darebin has cruised through to their ninth straight Grand Final with a commanding 106-point victory over St Kilda.
The Falcons led from start to finish, brushing aside the second-ranked Sharks with a dominant performance 17.11 (113) to 1.1 (7).
Powerhouse midfield displays from Karen Paxman and Daisy Pearce were capped off by yet another highlight reel performance from forward Katie Brennan (six goals), but in truth it was hard to find a Falcon who didn’t do their bit. On the other hand, St Kilda had no answers as they fell to their biggest loss of the season.
Early on the Sharks were able to somewhat prevent Darebin from claiming the sort of contested ball dominance that had seen them defeat Melbourne Uni in the final round of the season. But the Falcons found far too much space inside their forward line. Brennan (two) and Lauren Arnell gave their side a three goal quarter time lead that ballooned after the break. The Falcons’ footballing nous was the clear difference between the sides as they not only got numbers around the ball but positioned themselves for the next kick in the chain.
After a season spent out of the limelight orchestrating her side’s midfield, Darebin captain Daisy Pearce stepped up with all the power and grace of a champion on the big stage. Wrestling the ball from stoppages and using great vision and disposal to drive her side forward, Pearce once again underlined her status as the Falcons’ most important player.
Scarily, the Falcons were a good margin from their best. After such significant progress in 2016, it’s hard to remember a Sharks’ performance in which so much has gone wrong. Early on it was clear that Darebin’s ball movement was too fast and precise for St Kilda to stop or even anticipate but their inability to adjust their game plan was a match-long concern. By half time, St Kilda were eight goals down, scoreless and looking to start again in the second half.
The Falcons’ lead was extended in the third term as Brennan goaled twice inside of five minutes to end even the faintest of St Kilda’s hopes. A triple figure margin loomed ominously and then arrived in a six-goal Falcon final quarter with Lauren Pearce converting from a contested mark after ten minutes. Sharks’ fans were just holding out for a goal going into the last quarter, and had to wait until a Georgia Harris snap to finally put them on the board after 92 minutes of play. It was just their third shot on goal for the match.
Darebin now have an extended break to recuperate before they attempt to make history in the inaugural Swisse VFL Women’s Grand Final on Sunday September 18 at Piranha Park, Coburg. The shell-shocked Sharks, face Melbourne Uni in their do-or-die Preliminary Final.
Photo: Cameron Grimes
Last Modified on 30/08/2016 00:37
