Grand Final day is just two sleeps away in the NFNL senior women’s competition, with all six competing sides looking to make history this Sunday at Preston City Oval.
HEIDELBERG GOLF CLUB DIVISION 1
Montmorency 1 vs Banyule
Montmorency
Ladder Position: 1st (14-1, 301.5%)
Leading Goalkicker: Madison Bayes (19 goals in 16 matches)
Most Times in Best: Emily Beanland (10), Jessica Nursey (eight), Abbey Ward & Madeline Ellis (seven)
Banyule
Ladder Position: 2nd (11-4, 108.31%)
Leading Goalkicker: Chloe Sheean (14 goals in 13 games)
Most Times in Best: Annabel Goodison (10), Rebekah Watson (eight), Drew Barnes (seven)
Montmorency have proven to be the benchmark in the top flight throughout the 2023 season, still having tasted defeat just once on their way to booking the first spot in Sunday’s decider.
While the nerves are around, Magpies co-captain Madeline Gallagher stressed the importance of keeping the build up to the Grand Final as similar as it has been for other games this year.
“I feel like when you get to a Grand Final position you try to change things up, change the training up, but we’ve kept it pretty consistent to make sure we go in with our strongest chance,” she said.
Gallagher and teammate Emily Beanland will be key players in their side’s quest for the premiership, having played important roles in Montmorency’s five-point triumph over the Bears in the second semi-final a fortnight ago.
Isobel Shaw has also been in great form inside 50, as her two goals against Banyule, which included the game winning major in the last term, made it three straight weeks on the scoresheet for the forward.
Banyule meanwhile will be hoping to reach the pinnacle themselves, in what would complete a brilliant rise from third division football just two years ago.
Young star Annabel Goodison highlighted the belief that is instilled within the playing group as they approach Sunday’s Grand Final, saying that it will be an important factor in keeping up with the inform Magpies.
“[There’s been] a bit of a change and we’ve [created] a real strong bond, that definitely helps. We like to have fun at training, and we’ve got a lot of self-belief in ourselves,” she said.
In her first season at the club, Goodison has been a brilliant addition to the side, as was named as her side’s best player in the second semi-final defeat to their Grand Final opponents.
Meanwhile, stars from the preliminary final win over Eltham last week such as Brianna Musgrave and Rebekah Watson will look to continue their own great form in this weekend’s decider.
With only four points separating these two sides a fortnight ago, fans could be set for something similar come Sunday, this time on the biggest stage of them all.
CLEANING MELBOURNE DIVISION 2
St Mary’s vs Heidelberg
St Mary’s
Ladder Position: 1st (11-1, 746.51%)
Leading Goalkicker: Meg Girolami (32 goals in 12 matches)
Most Times in Best: Jessica Hardy (11), Jessica Ryan, Meg Girolami & Taylor Harvy (seven)
Heidelberg
Ladder Position: 2nd (9-3, 308.96%)
Leading Goalkicker: Emma Rowe (30 goals in nine matches)
Most Times in Best: Emily De Sando (11), Mia Tascone (10), Nikki Watts (nine)
St Mary’s have been nearly unstoppable this season, and it showed in another dominant display in the second semi-final which saw them head to their second consecutive Division 2 Grand Final.
While 12 months may seem like a long time, Burra co-captain Elyssa Rees explained how the playing group didn’t want their process to change much leading into the match, stressing the importance of trusting their gameplan.
“We’re focused on sticking to our routine and being level-headed. Not much has really changed, we just want to stick to our guns and do what we know we can do best,” she said.
Rees finished as her side’s best player in the victory over Heidelberg a fortnight ago and has been assisted well in midfield by Jessica Hardy. The reigning Division 2 best and fairest will no doubt be a focus for the Tigers midfielders come Sunday, as they look to limit her influence on the game.
The Burra are also the highest scoring team of the season, and with the two-competition leading goalkickers (home and away) in Megan Girolami and Sarah Johnston at their disposal, St Mary’s will be confident they can boast a winning score.
Heidelberg will also appear in the second senior women’s Grand Final, having gone down in the Division 2 decider in 2019.
The Tigers earnt their shot at silverware this weekend following an impressive victory over the Fitzroy Stars in the preliminary final.
Heidelberg star Rianne Coldebella said the playing group was ecstatic that their efforts throughout the 2023 campaign has led them to a chance to claim the club’s first flag in the senior women’s competition.
“It feels like all of our hard work has culminated in making the Grand Final this week. The girls are incredibly excited, but I think it’s really rewarding for all the hard work we’ve put in this year,” she said.
While the St Mary’s midfield has been strong, Heidelberg are the side that can match their talent, with players such as Emily De Sando and Mia Tascone each producing some brilliant football throughout the 2023 campaign.
Emma Rowe has also been in fine goalkicking form, kicking separate bags of six and seven in her last four matches.
It was a 26-point margin last time around at Epping Recreation Reserve, with the Burra’s 23-0 first term setting up the victory. If Heidelberg can stay with the minor premiers early in the match, we could expect a terrific contest.
NFNL DIVISION 3 WOMEN’S
Wallan vs Darebin 2
Wallan
Ladder: 1st (13-1, 1026.27%)
Leading goalkicker: Kelly Lennox, Kristy Nunn & Kia Montgomery (8 goals in 15 matches each)
Most times in best: Kia Montgomery (seven), Chelsea Paton, Kelly Lennox, Shazi Cappello & Nicole Evans (six)
Darebin 2
Ladder: 4th (6-8, 139.55%)
Leading goalkicker: Cassie Willcocks (nine goals in 13 matches)
Most times in best: Alisha Priestly (nine), Campbel Rowland (seven), Cassie Willcocks & Mia Krasenstein (six)
Having finished at the foot of the Division 3 ladder in 2022, Wallan can complete a remarkable turnaround this weekend at Preston City Oval.
The Magpies have tasted defeat just once this year and in their first ever finals match a fortnight ago, held off a determined Heidelberg West outfit to reach the Grand Final.
Captain Kelly Lennox reflected on just how far the side has come over the last 12 months and added how the whole community are rallying behind the team to create history.
“We never would’ve thought we’d be here this time last year. It’s a fantastic feeling, everyone’s pretty pumped around the club and the community, which is good,” she said.
Lennox has been one of the stars of the show in 2023, and has also been in great form recently, being named in her side’s best in her previous two games, one of those being against Sunday’s opponents.
She’s also had teammates who have proven to be significant contributors in Wallan’s winning performances this year, with the likes Kia Montgomery and Shazi Cappello having strong impacts on games throughout the season.
Their last step in their fairytale story is to knock off a side who are looking to complete a miracle run of their own in Darebin 2.
The Falcons were the underdogs coming into their preliminary final clash with Heidelberg West, but managed to find the go-ahead goal in the last term and claim a famous three-point triumph.
Star defender Eliza Phelan said the whole club was excited about the side’s opportunity to compete in this year’s Grand Final.
“To us we had a bit more belief than outsiders did, knowing we had a few players coming back into the side and a bit of belief from coaches and us [saying that] ‘we’re in the finals, we can do anything from there on because anything happens in finals’,” she said.
Darebin’s leading goalkicker Cassie Willcocks was the match winner in that preliminary final victory and will be an important player again for the side come Sunday.
Teammates Mei Griffin and Alisha Priestly have also been impressive in 2023, with both players being named in the side’s best in the previous four matches.
The Falcons have yet to defeat Wallan this season, but with an incredible wave of momentum behind them, they’ll believe they can claim one more scalp against the minor premiers.
