Breakthrough Premier League flag a reward for commitment and a willingness to learn

PINT women’s coach Rick Nolan says belief and a willingness to train hard are part of his side’s rise and rise as a football club

Winners are grinners: the PINT Football Club women make some noise after the Queenants’ four premierships. Picture: Grey Morris

RICK Nolan has no doubt the football production line that is PINT Football Club will gain more stability in the years to come.

Nolan’s first steps into women’s coaching hit the jackpot on Saturday when the WPL Queenants completed a highly successful 20-21 season by securing the club’s first Premier League flag.

The fiercely contested win over a classy Buffettes side followed grand final wins by the club’s Division 1 and 2 men’s sides and their Division 2 women.

“I’d love to see a video of our first training run to where we are now to show where we’ve moved forward as a footy club,’’ Nolan said.

“The improvement has been incredible from where footballs were being sprayed everywhere to a big lift in skill and commitment and that includes Division 1 and 2.’’

Nolan said the players had “trained as hard as anyone I’ve ever coached’’ because they believed in the game and what it had to offer.

“They’re (Premier League women) up there in terms of anyone I’ve ever coached,’’ he added.
“As for where we go to now, it’s a pretty good day making it four-in-a-row.

“We’ll have to see where the whole club goes from here, but the women’s program will get stronger and stronger.’’

Joint captain Cassie Henderson has bled green and gold blood since crossing from rivals Nightcliff in the 2012-13 pre-season.

“We started from very humble beginnings and with a bunch of girls who were athletes from other sports,’’ she said.

“I played at Nightcliff for two seasons before someone said ‘why don’t we start a side at PINT?’ and here we are now.

“My husband is affiliated with the sporting club and he said why not, so we got six girls from Nightcliff that caused quite a stir back then and got started.’’

Henderson grinned when asked if being the hunted added any pressure to the lesser task of being a hunter in search of the top sides.

“It’s certainly going to be a foreign feeling for us, we’ve honestly been on the hunt for so long while just trying to match it with the other sides.

“Now we’ll have to take another step to stay ahead of the other sides, including a very good Buffettes side who will around the top of the ladder for a long time to come.’’