The Division 4 Grand Final features two new clubs to the competition, with one to cap off a memorable first season with a premiership victory.
In the Division 3 /4 split setup in season 2014, first clubs were in a battle to make it into the top four in the 13 team ladder, but then as the form lines started to fall into place, seventh spot on the ladder suddenly became top spot for those in the bottom half.
Both teams experienced starkly different form lines entering the finals.
Montmorency won its last four games in a row, with the smallest winning margin being 35 points as they powered into the finals. It was however a different story in the first eight matches of the season, with the side only able to claim one win during that period against Melton. The team learnt from all the games to that point and started to understand their role in the team and what was required from each position. At the end of Round 9, they were sitting a game outside the eventual Division 4 top four, but the late season run helped them just into the first Semi Final position, with the double chance.
It was a different story for Golden Point, with a reasonably successful start to the season with three wins from the first six matches. After that point they were only able to manage one more win from the last six games which saw them drop from second spot to third and have to make it through the finals in an elimination match each week. All four wins for the season came against teams in the eventual Division 4 section of the ladder, but the club viewed the season to date as very successful for the first year being involved with women's football, and getting better with experience for the players from Ballarat.
Montmorency progressed through to the Grand Final with 50–point win over Bayswater in the Semi Final. It was a great result for the club after it opened the season with a 23-point defeat to the Waters, but this time were able to complete four quarters of football.
“We had strong run from the midfield and a crushing performance from the half back line.
“Our forwards spread well and kept space in front, but overall it was a great team performance across the entire ground.”
Golden Point faced a challenging finals series, but has been able to reverse its form slump from the end of the year to claim two big scalps on the way to the Grand Final. They firstly defeated Chirnside Park for the second time this season in the Semi Final by 37 points, then recorded their first win of the season against Bayswater, winning by 49 points and erasing the memory of the 29-point defeat in Round 3.
Pressure football applied in the final term helped Golden Point into the Grand Final.
“The Preliminary final was a very tight contest for the first three quarters and it could have gone either way.
“In the last quarter the Dragons stepped up the pressure and didn't let Bayswater have a chance. Every time they got the ball there would be 2 or 3 players there to tackle.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Montmorency: Nicole Blythe, Bec leahy, Brooke Lochland, Tenille Webb, Erin barker, Maddy bayes
Golden Point: Maighan Fogas, Shannon Simpson, Zhoe & Maddie Clarke
PATH TO GRAND FINAL
Montmorency:
Semi Final: Montmorency 9.11 65 d Bayswater 2.3 15
Golden Point:
Semi Final: Golden Point 10.3 63 d Chirnside Park 3.8 26
Preliminary Final: Golden Point 10.10 70 d Bayswater 3.3 21
LAST TIME THEY MET
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Q1
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Q2
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Q3
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Q4
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Montmorency
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4.4
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6.5
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9.14
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14.16 100
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Golden Point
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2.1
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5.2
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6.2
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7.4 46
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Montmorency
Goal Kickers: B. Lochland 5, N. Blythe 3, S. Davies , A. Setches , Y. Nulty , D. Hallett , M. Bayes , T. Webb
Best Players: B. Lochland , N. Blythe , T. Webb , M. Bayes , , E. Barker
Golden Point Dragons
Goal Kickers: B. Cubitt 4, A. Cummins 2, M. Fogas
Best Players: M. Fogas , T. Hughes , , B. Cubitt , S. Alexander , K. Cross
Last Modified on 28/08/2014 10:48