Herald Sun livestream: Watch Caulfield Grammar, Rowville Grammar in senior girls grand final (Herald Sun Shield)

A team without a structured footy program and another riding an incredible winning streak are the Herald Sun Shield Intermediate and Senior girls champions. RELIVE the action from our LIVESTREAM.

Caulfield Grammar have maintained their unbeaten run of more than 40 games to win the Herald Sun Shield Senior Girls grand final after downing Rowville Secondary College by 52 points at North Port Oval.

Caulfield’s fast start proved to be the difference with best on ground performer Siena Farrell and captain Rosie Finster both kicking multiple first-quarter goals to give their side a 32-point lead at the first break.

The solid start to the game gave them a strong advantage as they were able to cruise to a 9.9 (63) to 2.5 (17) victory.

Rowville’s Charlotte Lorenz-Daniel is tackled by Ruby Reddrop. Picture: Getty.

Finster was said it was a positive hard-fought win and put her team’s fast start down to their attitude.

“I think that we were all really excited for the opportunity and happy to be here. We were all motivated to win, so we were onto the ball straight away,” Finster said.

Farrell credited the effort of her team.

“I thought that the girls did really well, we all put in a really hard effort and we were on from the get go,” Farrell said.

The win came as Rowville Secondary College were unable to play their best player in the decider after her new AFL club, which she was drafted to in June, refused her permission because of risk of injury.

Caulfield Grammar celebrate their Herald Sun Shield success.

Amber Clarke was taken at pick four by Essendon on AFLW Draft night on June 28.

Rowville coach Darren Bewick, who won two premierships for Essendon, had been hopeful that his former club would allow her to play.

The absence of Clarke proved to be a difference as Rowville were kept goalless for the first three quarters of the game.

Clarke said she was proud of her school team’s efforts in the game despite not being able to play.

“Obviously it was disappointing not being able to play, but for good reasons, don’t want to risk being injured,” Clarke said.

Rowville Secondary finally got ion thbe scoreboard late on.

“It was good to see them put their effort out there and give it their best shot.”

Clarke said she was pumped to begin her AFLW journey with Essendon.

“I am very excited, can’t wait to get started,” she said.

“Hopefully I will be playing round one but we will find out closer to the time.”

Collingwood footballer Brodie Grundy, who presented the players with their medals, said it was fantastic to see the rise of women’s football at all levels.

Caulfield’s Siena Farrell with Brodie Grundy.

“I think it is great for the AFL, it’s great for grassroots footy that girls have a pathway now and that certainly wasn’t the case when I was growing up,” Grundy said.

“So it’s tremendous to see how the game is growing and evolving for young girls and women going into the professional league.”

REPLAY: Ballarat Clarendon College v Clonard College Geelong

Clonard College Geelong have taken home the Intermediate girls Herald Sun Shield after defeating Ballarat Clarendon by 10 points, 5.6 (36) to 4.2 (26).

Winning coach Matt Wapling said Ballarat Clarendon pressured them at different stages during the game.

“It was a tough contest,” Wapling said.

“It was a back and forth first quarter, but I felt like we started to wrestle back the momentum in the second and at halftime we set ourselves up for the win.

“Clarendon came out really hard at the start of the third quarter, but again I felt like we matched their intensity and wrestled it back again.”

It was an impressive win for Clonard at North Port Oval after coming this far without a structured football program compared to other schools.

“We don’t have too much of a footy program at all, it’s basically just a bunch of girls that have come together,” Wapling said.

“It’s pretty incredible the fact that they have come together to win this from where they started.

“We’re proud of them, the school’s proud of them, we have had a lot of support from friends and family today, so we’re happy.”

The Clonard girls celebrate their big win.

PREVIEW: The 40-game streak v comeback queens

Caulfield Grammar will put its 40-game win streak on the line when it takes on Rowville Secondary College in an exciting Herald Sun Shield Grand Final streamed on KommunityTV.

Both sides recorded stunning comeback wins in their semi-final’s to progress through to the last game of the competition.

Rowville trailed by 20 points late in the third term against Melbourne Girls Grammar before kicking four goals to win by three points.

The game ended in unfortunate circumstances, however, as Rowville’s Ashlee Cullis suffered a head knock, resulting in an ambulance being called and the siren sounding three minutes early.

The injury ruled Cullis out of the grand final match under concussion protocols.

In the other semi-final, Caulfield came back to win in a physical encounter against Ballarat Grammar, scoring a last-gasp winner with 90 seconds remaining.

Caulfield coach and former Hawthorn and Collingwood footballer Alex Woodward credited his side for standing tall against a tough opposition.

“The heart rate is still up,” Woodward said.

“What a fantastic spectacle though, Ballarat Grammar obviously showcased the brand of footy that they perform consistently and really put us on the back foot early.

Tyler Mills and Zara Klein will lead the teams in the big game.

“The girls really cracked in right when it mattered.”

Woodward said the close win lifted team morale.

“I think it grows the camaraderie and chemistry among the group, it’s a privilege for me to coach them, they are a great bunch of girls,” Woodward said.

“The main thing is they just get a heap of enjoyment out of playing so if they get to play another week, it’s just another week where they get to have fun.”

Daughter of ex-Melbourne footballer Stephen Newport, Caulfield player Francesca Newport said she was looking forward to the match.

“So exciting, nervous at the same time but it will be a great experience I reckon for our girls, Newport said. “Hopefully we can pull through and take a win again.”

Essendon draftee Amber Clarke has been ruled out of the final.

Rowville have been dealt a blow in the lead up to the grand final with Essendon-contracted AFLW draftee Amber Clarke ruled out of making a return for her school side.

Even Rowville coach Darren Bewick wasn’t able to convince his former club, Essendon, who he won two premierships with and played 238 games for, to release her back to the school.

Bewick said his side won’t be distracted by Caulfield’s win streak.

“We just treat it as any other game we’ve played, the girls are obviously excited,” Bewick said.

“They will do their best and we’ll see where it ends up at the end of the day.

“Obviously they’re a very good team but they’ve got to lose eventually.”

Bewick said he was looking forward to the opportunity for the girls.

“It’s an opportunity for our girls to play a quality team and for me to see them play and give them feedback about how they play and how they are developing,” he said.

“They’re excited and the school is really proud of what they have achieved so far and it would be really nice to top it off and win.”

BALLARAT GROWING INTO GRAND FINAL

In the Intermediate girls final, which will be played immediately before the senior girls decider, Ballarat Clarendon College will aim to clinch glory against Clonard College.

For Ballarat Clarendon College, one extra week together could be all the difference it needs to claim the Herald Sun Shield in Intermediate Girls.

Both side’s scored impressive wins during last week’s semi-finals.

Clonard won by 94 points against Geelong while Ballarat Clarendon won by 77 over Peninsula after keeping their opposition to just one point during the contest.

The impressive part for Ballarat Clarendon was the semi-final win was done with the girls playing together for the first time.

The school qualified for this year’s event after winning the 2019 Ballarat Associated Schools (BAS) competition as the past two years were not run due to Covid.

With the BAS competition set to be held later this year, the girls had no competitions together to play until the Herald Sun Shield semi last Wednesday.