Victorian Amateur Football Association women’s teams shine on a damp day of grand finals
Despite rain, hail and a battering by some of Melbourne’s winter worst, the VAFA women’s competition shone with the infrequent bursts of sunshine to celebrate a big Sunday of season-deciders.
Local Footy
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Footy. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Despite rain, hail and a battering by some of Melbourne’s winter worst, the Victorian Amateur Football Association’s women’s competition shone with the infrequent bursts of sunshine to celebrate a big Sunday of season-deciders.
Elsternwick Park, Trevor Barker Oval and Marcellin College played host to this year’s grand finals with the winning teams raising the silverware to bring down the curtain on what has been a remarkable season in the booming women’s competition.
WOMEN’S FOOTING BOOMING IN THE AMMOS
MAKING A DIFFERENCE AT PRAHRAN ASSUMPTION
PREMIER: MUGARS GROUND THE SHEAGLES
Melbourne University Mugars defeated the reigning champions, Marcellin, at Elsternwick Park after overturning a halftime deficit with three second-half goals while holding the Sheagles scoreless in the tough conditions.
The Mugars saluted, 3.9 (27) to 1.3 (9), with Candice Adams, Jade Tancred and Alexandra Gittings kicking the goals while Leah Caluzzi was outstanding in defence and earned the best on ground medal.
Ellie Gavalas and Brianne Keogh racked up a string of possessions to keep the Sheagles in the match.
Premier
Elsternwick Park
Marcellin 0.0 1.3 1.3 1.3 (9)
Melbourne University 0.4 0.5 2.8 3.9 (27)
MARCELLIN OC Goal Kickers: E. Gavalas Best Players: B. Keogh, E. Gavalas, J. Redmond, J. Greaves, A. Rock, G. Robertson
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY Goal Kickers: C. Adams, J. Tancred, A. Gittings Best Players: L. Caluzzi, R. Grounds, S. Wilson, S. Comelli, A. Bye, J. Tancred
PREMIER B (BLUE): SAINTS GO BACK-TO-BACK
St Mary’s Salesian dominated the Premier B (Blue) decider at Marcellin College from siren to siren, taking charge early and refusing to relinquish its grip on the way to a 31-point win.
The 4.9 (33) to 0.2 (2) win gave the Saints another flag after their win in the inaugural season last year.
“On the weekend, they were just ‘on’ and played really well,” coach Damian Sutherland said.
“Someone told me on the day that with two minutes to go our girls were just throwing themselves in like it was the first quarter. The coaching staff were all hugging and high-fiving, but they were still throwing themselves in.
“With an attitude like that, we’ll go far (if promoted to Premier next year).”
When the VAFA first announced plans for a women’s competition, St Mary’s pounced.
“We had 50 to 60 last year and we got that to about 80 this year,” Sutherland said.
“So we played two formal teams and we had an unofficial third team that played from time to time. Next year we’ll get it up to about 100 and have three official teams.”
Premier B (Blue)
Marcellin College (Sunday, August 19)
West Brunswick 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.2 (2)
St Mary’s Salesian 2.6 3.8 4.8 4.9 (33)
WEST BRUNSWICK Best Players: A. Clark, M. Lindsay , A. Sherman, D. Heckmann, M. Forbes, N. Wolfe
ST MARY’S SALESIAN Goal Kickers: R. Gill, J. Firmin, R. Grant, K. Smith Best Players: R. Svarc, N. Rappos, R. Grant, R. Gill, J. Firmin, K. Selir
PREMIER B (WHITE): LONG ROAD IS A WINNING ROAD
Old Haileybury may have come the long way but they got there when it counted, taking the Premier B (White) premiership after finishing the home-and-away season in fourth place.
The Hearts were outstanding in the finals, beating Old Brighton in the first semi-final and Beaumaris in the preliminary final, but started the big dance as underdogs after losing both games to Old Scotch during the regular season.
Old Haileybury bagged four goals in an explosive opening quarter to lead by 19 points at quarter-time.
Despite managing just four behinds for the rest of the game, they had enough in the bank to hold on, 4.8 (32) to 2.7 (19).
Sarah Casey, who was awarded the best afield medal, Romy Teubler and Chelsea Frawley bankrolled Old Haileybury’s win while Charlotte Serafini and Greta Larkey battled gamely for Old Scotch.
Premier B (White)
Trevor Barker Oval (Sunday, August 19)
Old Scotch 1.3 1.3 2.5 2.7 (19)
Old Haileybury 4.4 4.4 4.8 4.8 (32)
OLD SCOTCH Goal Kickers: G. Larkey, L. Goss Best Players: C. Serafini, G. Larkey, E. Jarman, S. Beddison, B. Lansell, L. Morley
OLD HAILEYBURY Goal Kickers: D. Frawley, R. Teubler, J. Shanks, S. Casey Best Players: S. Casey, R. Teubler, C. Frawley, J. Shanks, M. Waterman, D. Frawley
DIVISION 1: HAWKS WIN WITH FINAL QUARTER SURGE
Hawthorn made it back-to-back premierships when it got the better of Ivanhoe at a weather beaten Elsternwick Park on Sunday.
The first half was a mad scramble as both sides struggled for possession at countless stoppages and ball-ins. Hawks danger forward Laura Castleden, who was closely tagged by Hannah Slaughter, scored the only goal of the half after she marked a pass from Sarah Ward about 25m out late in the first quarter.
While many players struggled to hold a mark in the wet, Hawks halfback Sarah Delbosc was an exception and launched a handful of counter-attacks that caught the Ivies midfielders on the hop.
Hawthorn put the Ivies defence under pressure at the start of the third term, Penny Brown goaling from a free kick after six minutes.
The Ivies fought hard to stay in touch and Tahlia Day, battling with a bruised hand, kicked Ivanhoe’s first goal late in the quarter.
A few minutes later Ivies half-forward Ashton Bridge’s running snap from 30m just drifted into the goalpost to leave the Ivies seven points in arrears at the final change.
At the 15-minute mark of the final quarter, the Hawks rebounded out of defence and key forward Molly Johnston got onto the end of a chain of short passes and drilled a close-range goal. Then deep in time-on Lauren Cosson goaled from the left forward pocket to seal the victory.
Division 1
Elsternwick Park (Sunday, August 19)
Hawthorn 1.0 1.1 2.3 4.8 (32)
Ivanhoe 0.0 0.0 1.2 1.2 (8)
HAWTHORN AFC Goal Kickers: L. Castleden, L. Cosson, M. Johnston, P. Brown Best Players: P. Brown, L. Cosson, D. Kloufetos, S. Delbosc, H. Nicholls
IVANHOE Goal Kickers: T. Day Best: Emilia Bisogni, Tahlia Day, Anita Dolzan, Sarah Kerr, Hannah Slaughter and Fiona Tansley.
DIVISION 2: DEAD-EYE FRIARS WIN THE DAY
With a remarkable display of accuracy on a day when high winds and driving rain made scoring difficult, Whitefriars secured the Division 2 flag with a 21-point win over Old Melburnians at Trevor Barker Oval.
The Friars made the most of every opportunity to win 7.0 (42) to 2.9 (21) with Eilish Boyd bagging four straight to win the medal as best afield.
Kate Tull, Jayne Blakemore and Clare Fernandes were also outstanding for Whitefriars while Athena Williamson, Clare Fraser and Sophie Fraser battled gamely for Old Melburnians.
It’s been a remarkable ride for the newly-formed Friars, according to coach Tony Smith.
“Starting back in November, the day after Cup Day, for players who’d never played before. They’ve gone from learning to kick and handball to learning the positions on the ground to doing a pre-season to playing in a lightning premiership and then to make the Division 1 finals. They’ve done a lot in that time, it’s been just amazing.”
And the Friars had to do it the hard way, winning three finals including Sunday’s success against the minor premiers.
Kicking seven straight on such a wet and windy day was all the more remarkable.
“The weather was terrible,” Smith said. “The week before we kicked 1.12 at Williamstown, that was at the beach as well.”
But, after kicking a couple of goals into the wind in the first and third quarters the Friars set themselves up for a big final quarter with the gale at their backs.
“It was amazing that last quarter,” Smith said. “With the wind behind us and our supporters cheering us on, we kicked three goals.”
Smith said Boyd provided the highlight of the day when she grabbed the ball on the wing, took five or six bounces and ran to the goal line before thumping the ball emphatically into the distance. She continued on to the fence line and hugged her appreciative family and friends who’d made the trip to support the country girl on the biggest day of the season.
Division 2
Trevor Barker Oval (Sunday, August 19)
Old Melburnians 1.4 1.4 2.7 2.9 (21)
Whitefriars 1.0 3.0 4.0 7.0 (42)
OLD MELBURNIANS Goal Kickers: G. Dunlop, I. Smith Best Players: A. Williamson, C. Fraser, S. Fraser, C. Toohey , G. Dunlop, S. Heaton
WHITEFRIARS Goal Kickers: E. Boyd 4, C. Fernandes, G. Sjodin, M. Buhagiar Best Players: E. Boyd, K. Tull, J. Blakemore, C. Fernandes, C. Angus, I. Akers
DIVISION 3: ARM WRESTLE ENDS IN FINAL QUARTER
Westbourne Grammarians edged over the line against Preston Bullants, with two final-quarter goals taking it to an 11-point win after a solitary behind had separated the teams at the final change of ends.
Westbourne’s Lauren Spark earned the nod as best afield while Brianna Herman kicked two goals to bankroll the win.
Jacara Thomas and Kirra Grimes were best of the Bullants
Division 3
Trevor Barker Oval (Sunday, August 18)
Preston Bullants 1.4 1.4 2.5 2.7 (19)
Westbourne Grammarians 0.0 1.5 2.6 4.6 (30)
PRESTON BULLANTS Goal Kickers: M. Halton, J. Thomas Best Players: J. Thomas, K. Grimes, A. Ovenden, K. Del Monte, G. Freer, M. Halton
WESTBOURNE GRAMMARIANS FOOTBALL CLUB Goal Kickers: B. Herman 2, L. Spark, K. Temuskos Best Players: L. Spark, S. Knight, T. Abbott, S. Colgan , R. Robinson, V. Pettit
‘Shook me up’: Ex-AFL player’s concussion toll, uncertain future
Dion Johnstone has changed local teams, but the former Melbourne player is well aware his career is in a delicate position after a concerning number of head knocks.
Every signing of the EDFL off-season
The EDFL off-season has only just started but some clubs have already well and truly started making moves for 2025. Keep up to date with every signing in our signing tracker.