St Kilda Sharks dump Melbourne University from the top four of the VFL Women’s league

TAYLA Harris and Moana Hope played their first games for their new VFL Women’s clubs as St Kilda Sharks defeated Melbourne Uni.

MELBOURNE University has been knocked out of the top four for the first time since 2012 after going down to the St Kilda Sharks by 22 points in the VFL Women’s match on Sunday at Main Oval.

While the pre-game hype surrounded the debuts of Tayla Harris and Moana Hope for their respective sides, it was Maddison Gay and Phoebe McWilliams who did the damage, kicking a combined six goals for the Sharks.

After making the switch to Melbourne University mid-season, Hope found herself up against the team she kicked 106 goals for in 2016.

The Collingwood marquee kicked one for the game, but was largely a nonfactor as her side went down 6.6 (42) to 10.4 (64).

It was the Mugars’ other tall in Kate Shierlaw who did the damage early, kicking two goals in a fast-paced opening quarter.

Harris meanwhile spent a lot of time up the ground early and donned a long sleeve as the Queenslander adjusted to the Victorian cold.

Carlton’s new key forward didn’t appear rusty, taking contested marks and influencing the game far more than Hope up the other end.

The game became a lot more congested in the second quarter, which favoured the bullocking midfielders of the Sharks, including Brianna Davey who stamped her authority on the contest.

St Kilda kept the Mugars goalless in the second term while kicking two, taking a 17-point halftime lead.

Ellie Blackburn and Emma Kearney were kept quiet for much of the first half, unable to get any time for clean disposal.

Mo Hope had a quiet match against her former club St Kilda Sharks.

While Davey was her usual dominant self, Gay stepped up through the midfield and provided a lot of the run and carry to go with her two first-half goals.

Melbourne University got the game on its terms in the third quarter, but was unable to hit the scoreboard.

Two quick-fire Jasmine Garner goals up the other end made life difficult for the Mugars, who trailed by 23 at three quarter time.

Hope kicked a goal late in the third term, but her presence up forward messed with the side’s structure and Shierlaw was forced to go to full back in the final quarter.

Up the other end, Harris’s ability to go into the midfield gave St Kilda another string to its bow.

Gay kicked the first two goals of the quarter, quickly putting the game beyond doubt.

The 20-year-old Carlton rookie dominated through the midfield and showed a touch of class that the Mugars were lacking.

The margin blew out as far as 35 points before late goals to Blackburn, Kearney and Kaitlyn Ashmore brought it back to 22 at the final siren.

The three Melbourne University midfielders started to find space in the final term as St Kilda ran out of legs, but it highlighted just how well the Sharks had shut them down while the game was on the line.

Harris finished her first game as a Shark goalless, but looked dangerous up forward and through the midfield.

Melbourne University battled for a spot on top of the ladder last week, but now finds itself outside the top four and struggling to find a structure that works with Hope in the side.

St Kilda 3.0 5.2 7.3 10.4 (64)

Melbourne Uni 2.0 2.3 3.4 6.6 (42)

GOALS:

St Kilda: Gay 4, McWilliams 2, Brown, Bruton, Davey, Garner.

Melbourne Uni: Shierlaw 2, Ashmore, Kearney, Hope, Blackburn.

BEST:

St Kilda: Gay Lucas-Rodd Bailey McWilliams Neaves Clifford

Melbourne Uni: Stevens Spark Eva Anderson Hay Keryk