New coach but same passion at Diamond Creek ahead of big Victorian Women’s Football League season

DIAMOND Creek approaches the new Victorian Women’s Football League season, looking to build to a new level of success.

Diamond Creek coach Tanya Hetherington [centre] in her first season at the helm. PHOTO: Russ Canham

DIAMOND Creek approaches the new Victorian Women’s Football League season, looking to build to a new level of success.

2016 senior coach Tanya Hetherington played 134 games for Diamond Creek before a knee injury in 2015 required a full reconstruction.

But, when one door closes, another opens and the injury gave her the chance to take on the senior coaching position.

While emphasising the experience that is Diamond Creek’s strength, Hetherington says the main challenge she faces is renewing the challenge for a side that has made seven consecutive finals series and now faces a new threat from the four new teams joining the inaugural State League.

“We’ve achieved great results but have just fallen short, so without changing too much my challenge to the girls is to change the way they think about the game,” she said. “We’re going to be playing a different style of game but to their strengths.”

Inevitably, much of the spectator discussion about Diamond Creek focuses on its rivalry with Darebin.

The two teams have played in four consecutive grand finals with the glory of the Creekers’ 2012 victory being offset by three consecutive defeats.

As a player in three of those four grand finals, the goal of becoming the best side in State League burns just as fiercely in Hetherington as it does her players.

Diamond Creek’s total of 18 players in the AFL Victoria Women’s Academy was higher than any other team in State League.

Western Bulldogs captain and AFL Victoria female ambassador Stephanie Chiocci is set to play her 150th match for Diamond Creek this season and says the Creekers’ strong culture could be the key to long-term success.

“A lot of girls coming in have commented on how professional we’re becoming; that will hold us in good stead for the State League and then getting our girls drafted into the AFL,” she said.

The biggest excitement at Diamond Creek during the pre-season has been the injection of new players.

Chiocci says the commitment of ex-Kew player Stephanie Debortoli, Australian ultimate frisbee champion Michelle Phillips and former Australian cricketer Jess Cameron to their new club, particularly during the pre-season trip to Camp Wyuna in Queensland, has been fantastic.

“They’ve got a lot of experience at a professional level that they can bring across here, they’ve got really high standards which show in their training,” she said. “They’ll be exciting to watch.”