Finals footy returns to Preston City Oval for the first time in 2023 as three enthralling preliminary finals this Sunday will decide the remaining spots in this year’s senior women’s Grand Finals.
HEIDELBERG GOLF CLUB DIVISION 1
Preliminary Final: Banyule v Eltham
Banyule
Ladder: 2nd (11-4, 108.31%)
Leading goalkicker: Chloe Sheean (12 goals in 12 matches)
Most times in best: Annabel Goodison (9), Drew Barnes & Rebekah Watson (7)
Eltham
Ladder: 3rd (8-7, 127.09%)
Leading goalkicker: Angelique Reibelt (21 goals in 16 matches)
Most times in best: Sienna Gunning (12), Alannah Murray (10), Michaela Molenberg (8)
Banyule won plenty of admirers during their semi-final battle with Montmorency last week, pushing the minor premiers right through to the end despite going down by just five points.
Eltham meanwhile looked set to cruise through their clash with Darebin 1 last Sunday before having to hold off a surging Falcons outfit in the final quarter to prevail by just seven points.
It sets up a terrific preliminary final between two sides who have been in the top four throughout most of the 2023 campaign and have produced some close contests along the way.
Their two meetings this year has seen the Bears prevail in both matches, but only by a combined margin of just three points.
It was Eltham however who won out in the two sides’ Division 2 preliminary final in 2022, and they will look to get on top of the Bears again this weekend to make it back-to-back Grand Final appearances.
CLEANING MELBOURNE DIVISION 2
Preliminary Final: Heidelberg vs Fitzroy Stars
Heidelberg
Ladder: 2nd (9-3, 308.96%)
Leading goalkicker: Emma Rowe (24 goals in eight matches)
Most times in best: Emily De Sando (10), Mia Tascone (9), Nikki Watts & Tessa Hankinson (8)
Fitzroy Stars
Ladder: 5th (6-6, 137.76%)
Leading goalkicker: Jessica Bamblett (21 goals in 13 matches)
Most times in best: Kristen Atkinson (10), Medika Bonney (9), Atelini Seeto & Jessica Bamblett (7)
A slow start in last Saturday’s second semi-final hurt Heidelberg’s chances of matching it with St Mary’s, not kicking their first major until the last term in their 26-point defeat to the minor premiers.
The Fitzroy Stars on the other hand caused one of the shocks of the finals series, when a dominant four-quarter performance saw them comfortably defeat third place Mernda by 70 points.
It will give the Stars plenty of confidence ahead of this Sunday’s preliminary final as they set their sights towards an inaugural Grand Final appearance.
Heidelberg have still defeated every side who finished below them this year, including the Fitzroy Stars, where they claimed 11 and 29-point victories in their two clashes in 2023.
It puts the Tigers in good stead to respond to their loss last week and claim their 11th victory of the season in order to have another crack at the Burra in the decider.
NFNL DIVISION 3 WOMEN’S
Preliminary Final: Heidelberg West vs Darebin 2
Heidelberg West
Ladder: 2nd (11-3, 393.81%)
Leading goalkicker: Ashleigh Riley (16 goals in 4 matches)
Most times in best: Molly Reinke (12), Chloe Rowan (9), Jasmine Taylor (8)
Darebin 2
Ladder: 4th (6-8, 139.55%)
Leading goalkicker: Cassie Willcocks (8 goals in 12 matches)
Most times in best: Alisha Priestly (8), Campbel Rowland (7), Aife Larkin, Cassie Willcocks, Mia Krasenstein & Riley Magee (5)
Having defeated Wallan only a few weeks ago, the Hawks weren’t able to replicate their efforts in last Saturday’s second semi-final, as despite leading at the main break, they ultimately fell short by 11 points.
They’ll look to bounce back against Darebin 2, who after looking down and out at three quarter time, put the foot down in the final term by kicking three goals to overrun Montmorency 2 on Sunday.
As a result, the Falcons have now won three of their last four games and will be determined to claim another scalp this weekend.
But to do so, they’ll need to improve significantly on their only other meeting with the Hawks this season, a game which saw them go down by 51 points at Heidelberg Park.
However, with Darebin’s excellent form of late, Heidelberg West will need to be at their best for all four quarters to confirm a spot in the Grand Final next week.
