Chirnside Park demolishes Whitehorse Suns in Eastern Region Women’s Premier Division grand final

For nearly a decade, Chirnside Park has been something of a pioneer in eastern suburban women’s footy. They can now celebrate an emphatic grand final win.

Chirnside Park sets up the premiership selfie Picture: James Ross

Chirnside Park put the exclamation mark on an outstanding season of footy when it dominated the Eastern Region Women’s Premier Division grand final at the Lilydale Sports Oval on Sunday.

After losing just once all season, Chirnside Park started the season-decider as a firm favourite and lived up to that tag by holding the Whitehorse Suns goalless on the way to a 66-point win. ​

There wasn’t much in it at halftime, Chirnside Park up by just 10 points, but a five-goal third quarter and another four in the last set the seal on an 11.8 (74) to 0.8 (8) win. ​

“The girls played a great game of footy,” coach Mick Carusi said. “The first half was hotly contested footy. The third quarter was probably the difference. ​

“Credit to the opposition though, they’re a good team too. They were well structured and I think the two best sides made the final.”​

Danielle Millott and Sharnni DiMauro bankrolled the win with three goals each while Jorja Borg, Chelsea Wilkinson, Jessica Provan and Ashleigh Allsopp joined the two goalkickers as the best six on a very long list of top-notch performers.

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Chirnside Park, the Eastern Region Women’s Premier Division premiers Picture: James Ross

Chirnside Park has been a pioneer of women’s footy in Melbourne’s east, a well established club in the Victorian Women’s Football League before that competition disbanded, and it has become one of the driving forces of the Eastern Region league over the past few years. ​

“It’s been nine seasons of seasonal football,” Carusi said of the club. “Clearly players will come and go but there’s a core group who’ve played 50 games and pushed it out further.”​

Carusi paid tribute to the club’s administration, which has always backed the girls. ​

“It’s a credit to the idea (of women’s footy) and we’ve identified that,” he said. “It’s been a lot of hard work and they are just so well organised and passionate.”​

Beyond the success of the senior side, Carusi said the club had cause to celebrate the growing depth it is developing with nearly 60 girls having a run in senior footy this year. ​

“As much as the silverware is great,” he said. “Our real success is having a reserves side this year, the reserves made the preliminary final as well.”​

Let the Chirnside Park party commence Picture: James Ross

Despite the disappointment of losing the grand final, Whitehorse Suns coach David Griffin had nothing but praise for the way Chirnside Park goes about its football. ​

“They were by far and away the best side this year,” Griffin said. “Chirnside Park had winners all across the ground and are very well coached. They were strong, well structured and it’s clear they have played a lot of footy. They kick the ball a country mile as well. ​

“I wish them well and offer them sincere congratulations. To win a flag at any level takes a lot of hard work but to win it in a Premier division is something special. They are well supported and have formed a clear footy destination for females in the outer-eastern suburbs.”​

Eastern Region Women’s​

Premier Division Grand Final​

Lilydale Sports Oval (Sunday, September 1)​

Chirnside Park 2.3 2.3 7.7 11.8 (74)​

Whitehorse Suns 0.2 0.5 0.6 0.8 (8)​

CHIRNSIDE PARK Goal Kickers: D. Millott 3, S. Di Mauro 3, A. Cakuls, E. Lewis, J. Provan, L. Howell, R. Lohman Best Players: S. Di Mauro, D. Millott, J. Borg, C. Wilkinson, J. Provan, A. Allsopp​

WHITEHORSE SUNS Best Players: C. Wood, G. De Angelis, Z. Makris, P. Joy, A. Pamminger, T. Reiter

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