Victorian Amateur Football Association: Scotch Stars sweep the season to win Division 1 flag
With flexibility its watchword, Scotch Stars swept through the VAFA Division 1 season undefeated. A grand final win was icing on the cake.
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Scotch Stars wrapped up an unbeaten season in VAFA Division 1 women’s with a thumping 68-point win in Sunday’s grand final against Old Brighton at the Mentone Playing Fields in Keysborough.
While most of the season-deciders were battered by wet weather later in the day, Scotch played early on Sunday and dodged the downpour. The springlike conditions allowed the Stars to run away with an 11.10 (76) to 1.2 (8) win.
After there’d been just a goal in it at quarter-time, Scotch booted five second-quarter goals to take an unassailable 36-point lead to the long break.
Another four goals in the last put the icing on the cake.
In an even spread of scorers, Anna Hayes and Lily Goss kicked two each, while Mimi Hill was awarded the medal as best on ground.
The team, co-coached by Brad Jenkinson and Ryan Duke, was largely built on a successful partnership between Old Scotch and Kew’s Methodist Ladies College.
“We have a great partnership with MLC,” Jenkinson said. “A lot of girls had played there together and they’d had a bit of success there in the Herald Sun Shield.”
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The partnership with Old Scotch means the girls have a place to continue their footy once finishing school and, with the addition of players from outside, the current squad has spent a few years together.
Jenkinson said ‘flexibility’ had been a watchword this year after some players may have been pigeonholed in the past.
“We tried to flip the girls around a bit this year,” he said. “Partially to give the girls some variety in their game.”
But with a number of players missing mid-season, that flexibility meant a “deeper pool” from which the Stars were able to cover gaps.
“We put through 38 players this year,” Jenkinson said. “But the club is really keen to field two teams next year, so you need to start with 50 or 60.”
Jenkinson said the side featured a variety of age groups, from 16-year-olds to players in their 30s, and the team’s strength had been that the older players had mentored the youngsters.
“I’ve had parents tell me just how confident they are in bringing their daughters here,” he said.
And, with the Old Scotch Premier B men closing in on a finals campaign, the family club could be rewarded with some more September silverware.
“They (the men) were great,” Jenkinson said. “We had a good contingent there and we’re looking at replicating that for them.”
Division 1 women’s Grand Final
Mentone Playing Fields (Sunday, August 18)
Old Scotch 2.1 7.2 7.5 11.10 (76)
Old Brighton 1.1 1.2 1.2 1.2 (8)
OLD SCOTCH Goal Kickers: A. Hayes 2, L. Goss 2, M. Cowan, E. McClure, A. Arundel, G. Larkey, A. James, S. Anghie, K. Hunter-Scott Best Players: M. Hill, G. Larkey, J. Dreher, L. Goss, A. Arundel, A. Hayes
OLD BRIGHTON Goal Kickers: I. Eddey Best Players: S. Visentini, L. Davies, M. McGregor, A. Grant, I. Miller, C. O'Brien
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