Replays: VAFA Round 1, Premier Women's - Coburg v Melbourne University (VAFA)

Newcomers Coburg gave Melbourne University a real scare in the mud, but ultimately fell three points short of what would have been a dream start to life in the VAFA. Relive all the action.

Coburg came close to pulling off a victory in their first game in the VAFA as Melbourne University held on grimly in the final stages to pull a 34-31 victory on Sunday.

Little separated the teams for much of the match, and Coburg actually took the lead briefly with just over seven minutes to go before Melbourne Uni battled back with a goal that proved decisive.

SEE THE FULL GAME REPLAY ABOVE

Meanwhile, a huge first quarter and strong defensive display set Coburg up for a comfortable victory over Melbourne University in their opening VAFA women’s reserve grade encounter of the season.

Played in driving rain, Coburg raced out to a 16-0 quarter-time lead and then restricted their opponents to just 15 points for the entire match to run 23-point winners, 38-15.

Relive all the action from our live stream below

Melbourne University v Coburg (Women Reserves)

PREVIEW

New and old will come face-to-face in a blockbuster opening weekend of the VAFA Premier Women’s competition.

In a historic moment for the competition and one of Melbourne’s oldest clubs, Coburg will join VAFA Premier Women’s ranks for the first time.

They’re first task, taking down a club that has been there since the start of the women’s competition in Melbourne University.

The Premier Women’s double header will be exclusively live streamed by KommunityTV as part of a two-year streaming partnership with VAFA.

FIND OUT WHICH GAMES WE ARE STREAMING THIS VAFA SEASON

The Lions have made the step up to VAFA after they finished as undefeated minor premiers in their second season in the South Eastern Women’s Football League last year.

It means the Lions will enter the VAFA women’s competition, which began in 2017, in hot form and hungry for success after going down by a point in the SEWFL grand final to Seaford.

Coburg winger and leadership group member Claire Cashman, 29, said her teammates were eager for their first game in the VAFA.

Coburg will join the VAFA Premier Women's competition this season. Picture: Craig Dooley

“I think we are all so excited,” she said.

“Just joining a league that we know has got a really high quality and high standard and the biggest women’s football league in Australia.

“It’s really exciting to be challenged and I think we are all looking forward to the game on the weekend and getting a good gauge of where the competition is at and where we fit in.

“We will be trying to make a good impression so it’s very exciting and especially for us to be (in a competition) more local to Coburg than what we have been before.

“It feels much more like we are going to be involved in the community around us which is really special I think.”

Cashman, who is also came third in the club’s best and fairest last season, said expectations and predictions on how her team might go was a waiting game.

“It’s very unknown for us,” she said.

“We have obviously a lot of confidence in the brand of footy we play and our structures, and our culture as a club so we’re feeling pretty good going into it.

“But you never know and we don’t really know what the standard is like and how we will measure up against other teams.

Coburg will join the VAFA Premier Women's competition this season. Picture: Craig Dooley

“So I think we are really wanting to put our best foot forward and make a really good impression but still a lot of unknown so just taking it week-by-week.

“I think Sunday is going to be really exciting to see how it plays out.”

The Coburg side has been put through their paces in a harsh pre-season program, and Cashman said several players had emerged out of it strongly ahead of their VAFA debut.

The skipper identified Isabella Hayes as a young gun who had taken her game to another level in the off-season as well as veteran defender Dacia Abela.

Another player in the Lions line up who might catch a few eyeballs throughout the season is Julia McArdle who is known for her classy skills and pace off the halfback.

The Coburg side will not have an easy assignment in their first game of the season against a Melbourne University side aiming to grow from last season’s semi-finals finish.

University finished the season in fourth spot, and emerged into the second week of the finals, where they were eliminated by eventual premiers St Kevins.

The exclusive KommunityTV live stream double header will kick off with the reserves fixture before the seniors take the field at 2pm.