Two big VWFL preliminary finals will take place on Sunday to determine which teams will advance to the Premier Division and Division 1 Grand Finals next week.
In Premier, Diamond Creek and Melbourne University meet to decide Darebin’s opponent in the big dance, while in Division 1, Seaford and Knox will clash for the right to face Cranbourne in the decider.
Premier Division Preliminary Final
Diamond Creek vs Melbourne University
Coburg City Oval, 2pm Sunday
Diamond Creek has had a mixed run against Melbourne Uni this season, winning once and losing twice – most recently in the final home-and-away round in a thrilling one-point match with the Creekers given a chance to win in the last minute of the game. That match would indicate there’s not a lot between these sides, so the effects of last week’s finals on each team’s mindset may play a part in the result.
Diamond Creek was yet another victim of the Darebin juggernaut in the qualifying final, having 17 fewer scoring shots in a 32-point loss to the Falcons, while Melbourne Uni would’ve gained confidence from defeating a talented St Kilda Sharks outfit by 31 points in the elimination final. In that match, Uni girls such as Gabriella Pound, Elyce Hay, Emma Kearney, Kaitlyn Ashmore and Ellie Blackburn starred, just as they did against Diamond Creek a week earlier.
Continued good form from that talented core could see them bundle their opponent out of the finals in straight sets, but Diamond Creek will be hoping for quality performances in front of goal from Katie Loynes, Steph Chiocci and Christina Bernardi, who hit the scoreboard multiple times when these teams last met in Round 15.
Waiting for the winner in the Grand Final on Sunday September 13 will be Darebin Falcons, looking for a three-peat of premeirships.
Division 1 Preliminary Final
Seaford vs Knox
Coburg City Oval, 12pm Sunday
Knox will be riding high into this match after knocking off a highly fancied North Geelong side by seven points in a slogging elimination final, while Seaford came up short by two goals against top-of-the-table Cranbourne in the qualifying final.
They’ll want to move past that loss quickly, because the last time these teams met in Round 13, Knox completely outplayed Seaford, with a seven-goal-to-one first half setting up a 46-point victory. Chanelle Slater was superb that day for Knox, booting four goals and named her team’s best player, while Alison Downie also starred with two majors. Both girls were keys to the triumph over North Geelong last week and Seaford will need to make sure it doesn’t let them off the leash on Sunday.
At the same time, Seaford would love a big bag from Katherine Gillespie-Jones – whose 55 goals in 19 games this season trails only Slater (57) on the Division 1 goalkicking table – and quality performances from girls such as Kellie Sanders and Bronwyn Rogan, who were among the best in the brave effort against Cranbourne.
Last Modified on 07/09/2015 12:13