For a number of different reasons this premiership must rank alongside some of the Club's great wins, which as we know stretch all the way back to 1902.
OFC's women's team only entered the competition in 2021 and initially found it difficult to register a score in the League's Division Two.
However as we have seen from the previous 2021 entry on this website there was steady and strong improvement during the year and consequenty we claimed the Minor Premiership in a season impacted by Covid.
We were promoted to Division One in 2022 and enjoyed some important wins while simultanerously struggling to compete with the elite sides. At the end of that season a number of senior players decided to retire and there were concerns OFC would struggle to be competitive at this top level.
Coach Simon Gilson drew on the Junior club to make up the squad and as the season progressed our results improved.
Of particular note was the decision to appoint Claire Hyett as captain, her leadership skills and inspirational on field performance were precisely what this young group required to bring out their best.
But as we approached the back end of the season there was little to indicate that this team was about to astonish not only their own supporters but the entire Outer East League.
Whlle we enjoyed a hard fought win against benchmark club Upwey we also had losses and wins against middle of the ladder clubs Berwick Springs and Pakenham.
Then in the final round at Olinda, on a very cold and lonely July morning when the rest of the Club was at Mt Evelyn, OFC became the first team to challenge the undefeated flag favourites Healesville. In fact Healesville hadn't conceded a single score against them since mid June.
Perhaps crucially OFC regained two Eastern Ranges players Grace Belloni and Georgia Stubs for this game and the finals series (although Georgia missed the Grand Final).
OFC lost that final round match BUT we outscored Healesville after quarter time in a fast and frenetic performance which set some alarm bells ringing in our opponent's camp. Coincidently because we finished fourth we were scheduled to meet the unbeaten Healesville in an elimination final the following week.
While many in the competition regarded that score in the last home and away round as something of an aberration the OFC coaching staff thought otherwise. They believed we could "take" them.
Their assessment was proved correct and OFC enjoyed a convincing, but not extravagant , win on Healesville's home ground to advance to the Grand Final.
Suddenly , seemingly out of nowhere, the young OFC team had emerged as favourites to win the flag.
We met Pakenham in the premiership clash, again the match was on the huge Healesville ground which, in retrospect, was a good fit for Gilson's hard running brand of football.
With a large Red and White contingent on hand to support our women we were never headed and went on to celebrate an historic and emphatic 43 point victory.
It was a significant and marvelous moment in our Club's history.
Click on the PDF below for pictures and a match report.
Team |
Win |
Losses |
Healesville |
15 |
0 |
Upwey |
10 |
5 |
Pakenham |
7 |
8 |
OFC |
7 |
8 |
Berwick Springs |
6 |
9 |
Monbuk |
0 |
15 |
Semi Final
Aug 6 2023, Don Rd Sporting Complex , Healesville
Healesville |
3.0.18 |
3.2.18 |
3.0.18 |
3.0.18 |
OFC |
0.2.2 |
1.4.10 |
2.4..16 |
3.4.22 |
Best Players- Claire Hyett, Lucy Hilton, Olivia Edwards, Georgia Stubs, Chelsea Wilson, Grace Belloni
Goal Kickers- Grace Belloni 1, Olivia Edwards 1, Emmalee Keegan 1
Grand Final
Aug 13 2023, Don Rd Sporting Complex. Healesville
OFC |
1.0.6 |
1.1.7 |
1.5.11 |
2.5.17 |
Pakenham |
0.1.1 |
4.3.27 |
6.6.44 |
9.6.60 |
Best Players- Grace Belloni, Olivia Edwards, Lucy Hilton, Chelsea Wilson, Claire Hyett, Lily Carlin.
Finals Series Votes-
(on the basis of votes above appearing in descending order)
Player |
Votes |
Lucy Hilton |
9 |
Olivia Edwards |
9 |
Claire Hyett |
8 |
Grace Belloni |
7 |
Chelsea Wilson |
5 |
Lily Carlin |
1 |
Our Team- Lily Carlin, Lucy Hilton, Laura Clarke, Kyah Barry, Amalija Kostich, Olivia Edwards,Chloe Kanally, Claire Hyett, Georgia Stubs, Emmalee Keegan, Vanessa Bateman, Leah Cody, Kaesha Christie, Grace Belloni, Tobi Monkhorst, Jacqueline Ring, Anna Hughson, Isabella Dennis, Chelsea Wilson, Casey Seymour, Olive Kelly, Paige Robinson, Celia Clarke
Celia, Paige, Tobi, Grace, Olive and Jacqueline were juniors playing on Permit.
2023 Best and Fairest -