Calder Cannons TAC Cup coach Alicia Eva declares sky is the limit for women’s football

MONTHS before AFL Women’s took the country by storm, Calder Cannons TAC Cup Girls squad took the first steps toward premiership glory.

Calder Cannons players celebrate their TAC Cup Girls premiership success. Picture: Jack Thomas.

MONTHS before AFL Women’s took the country by storm, Calder Cannons TAC Cup Girls squad took the first steps toward premiership glory.

Under the guidance of Collingwood vice-captain Alicia Eva and Jason Peak, a group of aspiring AFLW players from Melbourne’s northwest arrived at Craigieburn’s Highgate Reserve with grand ambitions.

Their dreams were realised on Friday when Calder made history as the first TAC Cup Girls premier.

“This is something we started way back in October and I know there was a lot of planning that had gone into it, even before then,” Eva said.

A percentage of 412.75 and average winning margin of 64 points emphasised the gulf between Calder and its rivals.

Eastern Ranges — which got within 11 points in Round 2 — were the only side to seriously threaten the Cannons during the five-round season.

“When they came in October, we had girls that we knew were already established in the youth girls space,” Eva said.
“Then we had some other girls like Molly Warburton, for instance, who were athletic types who showed they could get the footy.

“(She) probably didn’t have the greatest kick and probably didn’t know how to use her body to her advantage.

“She’s the example I’ll use because she’s someone who is pushing for Vic Metro selection now.

“We’ve had girls like Lauren Caruso, our captain, who has taken it upon herself to continue her development away from Cannons.”

The prospect of playing against some of her side’s brightest talents is likely to become a reality for Eva this year.

Forward Chloe Molloy will line-up for Diamond Creek in the VFL Women’s competition against Eva’s Melbourne Uni, where AFL Academy member Monique Conti also plays.

Calder Cannons players Jacinta Taylor, Lauren Caruso and Eleanor Cornish embrace after their side’s win over Bendigo Pioneers on Friday. Picture: Jack Thomas.

Eva said she hoped midfielders Sarah Dargan (Pascoe Vale) and Caruso (Keilor) would be among those drafted by AFLW clubs later this year.

“It’s exciting and it would be funny to run around and see some of them,” she said.

“That’s the goal of our program. We’re not about wins and losses, I know all TAC Cup coaches will say that.

“It’s about trying to develop kids to get drafted and that’s what the (goal) was from day one.

“We sat down and went through our list and set down some clear goals, we wanted to get X amount of players drafted, whether it’s this year or it’s next year.

“And we wanted to get X amount of players playing VFL state footy, whether it’s this year or next year.

“That’s been the goal of the program, that’s been the directive for everything we have done.”

Molloy was the competition’s leading goalkicker and was also crowned the joint TAC Cup Girls best and fairest alongside Dandenong Stingrays’ Bridie Kennedy.

Eva is confident the sky is the limit for women’s football after the groundbreaking success of the AFLW and TAC Cup Girls competitions.

“People can’t forget or lose sight of the fact that if they don’t get drafted when they are 18, there’s still opportunities,” she said.

“They will go and play good VFL footy or footy elsewhere and there’s eyes and ears out scouting.

“The AFL Women’s isn’t there for one or two years, it’s there now for good. There’s a pathway there and it’s super exciting.

“The good thing for me, someone that gets to work in the coaching and playing field, is I get to see it develop as a player and I get to try and help it develop as a coach.

“The great thing for supporters of women’s footy is it is only getting better from here.”