St Mary’s goes back-to-back, winning maiden NFNL Division 1 Women’s premiership

NFNL Division 2 premier last year, St Mary’s stepped up to Division 1 this year and – despite a short lightning storm – walked away with back-to-back premierships.

St Mary's celebrates its NFNL Division 1 Women's premiership. Picture: Field of View Photography

Back-to-back Burras … it has a nice ring to it.

Having taken out the NFNL Division 2 title last year, St Mary’s is celebrating a second straight premiership – this time in Division 1.

The Burras kicked seven of the last nine goals of the game to claim a commanding 25-point victory over Diamond Creek Women’s at Preston City Oval.

A short lightning storm delayed the game for half an hour in the last quarter but it couldn’t stop but it couldn’t stop St Mary’s march.

Brigid McEntee was awarded the grand final medal in the 9.6 (60) to 5.5 (35) victory.

St Mary's' Brigid McEntee was named best-on-ground. Picture: Field of View Photography

It continues an extraordinary rise for the club, Division 2 grand finalist in 2022, a history-making first women’s premiership in 2023 and now a maiden top-flight flag.

The Burras are the second club to go back-to-back since women’s football was introduced in 2017 but the first to do it stepping up a grade.

Coach Troy Bickerton said the team’s goals had grown and grown since Round 1 to a dream grand final performance.

“Unbelievable, when we started the season – coming up to Div 1 – our first goal was just to be competitive,” he said.

“After a few games we thought, we are competitive, let’s set another goal and make finals.

“Once we got to finals our next goal was to win a final, we lost our first won but winning one was a great tick for the season and then today was let’s just go for it, nothing to lose.

“Last year we only lost one game for the season and there was so much pressure to win (the premiership) but this year there was no pressure, just go out and have fun.”

In a first-half arm-wrestle the margin was rarely more than a kick, Diamond Creek holding a one-point advantage at quarter-time and St Mary’s a one-point lead at half-time.

Megan Girolami celebrates a goal for St Mary’s. Picture: Hamish Blair

Linda Thorp gave the Creekers a six-point lead early in the third term but it was all Burras from there.

The minor premier scored four unanswered goals through Megan Girolami, Caitlin Kreuzberger and Sarah Johnston (twice) either side of three-quarter-time to open up an 18-point lead.

As rain belted down, lightning saw the game called off for 30 minutes with the break reinvigorating the contest.

Five goals were scored in the final minutes of the game as Diamond Creek chased a comeback and St Mary’s a flag.

Bickerton said the foundations of the team’s strong second half was built in pre-season.

“We’ve been strong finishers all year,” he said.

“The final last week against Heidelberg, we were up by a point at half-time and our second half was huge (winning by 32 points).

“Fab Carelli, the senior men’s coach, took pre-season training once a week and we trained with the men, the girls did all the running and all the drills with the men.

“Fab was so accommodating and he really put us through our paces, I think training with the men pushed the girls harder and that’s why we were able to run out games.”

Megan Girolami and Johnston both finished with two majors for St Mary’s, while Thorp bagged a match-high three for Diamond Creek.

McEntee was prolific for the Burras, while Georgia Kitchell, Jaydah Hope, Emmison Zealley and Jemma Chesser all impressed.

“Brig is a machine, she’s a big game player,” Bickerton said.

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“She broke her ankle really badly two years ago and missed the entire season but came back and just played finals last year and was just about best-on-ground in the grand final.

“She’s a workhorse, the girls love her, and she thrives in big games.”

For Diamond Creek Women’s, Simone Secombe was best afield and Holly Pink, Maykaylah Appleby and Adele Coppola stood tall.

In the day’s other games, Lower Plenty claimed the Division 2 premiership with a 26-point win over Ivanhoe, while Panton Hill – in its first season of women’s football – won the Division 3 title with a seven-point triumph over Heidelberg West.