It’s all on the line come Sunday at Preston City Oval, as six teams look to make history and win their first ever NFNL women’s premiership.
WINNING EDGE DIVISION 1 WOMEN’S
Diamond Creek Women’s 1 vs Darebin 1
Diamond Creek Women’s 1
Ladder: 1st (13-1; 440.64%)
Leading Goalkicker (post-grading): Linda Thorp (47 goals)
Most times in best (post-grading): Georgia Tait (9), Lauren Durante (7), Chiara Nardo (6)
Darebin 1
Ladder: 4th (8-4; 125.83%)
Leading goalkicker (post-grading): Cameron Williams (19)
Most times in best (post-grading): Julia Phung (8), Nikita Magriplis (7), Julia McArdle (5)
The Creekers have been the benchmark of Division 1 for the last two years and they continued to remind the competition of that fact in their comfortable semi-final win over West Preston-Lakeside 1 a fortnight ago.
Following a 2021 shortened season where they finished 12-0, the Creekers are of the firm belief that this Sunday will finally be the day they hold the premiership cup aloft.
Diamond Creek Women’s star Stacey Cross explained the excitement that was coming from her side in preparation for their first grand final since 2019.
“It’s been a big campaign since 2019, having a cancelled season in 2020 and then not being able to play finals in 2021, I think it’s our time now to put everything together,” she said.
Cross herself has put together another solid campaign, kicking 11 goals in 10 games in 2022. Linda Thorp has a huge focal point for the Creekers up forward with 47 majors while Georgia Tait and the early season work of Geelong AFLW draftee Brooke Plummer has helped Col Wallington’s side get to this position.
Their opponents in Darebin 1 however, will be coming into this match in scorching hot form with four consecutive victories, including winning their last two finals by 67 and 47 points respectively.
It’s the perfect form line to face a Creekers side they’ve failed to beat this season.
Falcons player Susan Cadman said that their side’s form has been no coincidence in recent weeks and that the belief the group have shared amongst each other will go a long way towards their chances this weekend.
“There’s real belief in the group in themselves and I think really playing for each other has been what’s worked most,” she said.
Julia Phung has been impressive all season long while Cameron Williams has also been a consistent factor for the side, with the 19-year-old leading the goalkicking charts for the Falcons.
The healthy rivalry between these two sides will add another chapter to an already big book and with what’s expected to be a big crowd at Preston City Oval, this could be one of the most highly anticipated women’s grand finals in NFNL history.
SG PRINT & PAPER DIVISION 2 WOMEN’S
Eltham vs St Mary’s
Eltham
Ladder: 2nd (11-3; 461.94%)
Leading Goalkicker (post-grading): Jacki White (28 goals)
Most times in best (post-grading): Sarah Huntington (10), Alannah Murray (6), Jacki White (6)
St Mary’s
Ladder: 1st (11-3; 494.67%)
Leading goalkicker (post-grading): Sarah Johnston (44)
Most times in best (post-grading): Elyssa Rees (11), Jessica Hardy (11), Caitlin Kreuzberger (9)
These two sides will meet again for the second time in two weeks, this time with plenty more at stake.
Eltham prevailed by 25 points in their second semi-final win over the Burra recently with the bounce back from their Round 9 loss to St Mary’s complete, they’ll be confident they can reproduce that form to make it a first premiership at the club since 2002.
The Panthers’ Jacki White expressed how hard the entire side had worked to get to this moment, saying it would be a thoroughly deserved victory if they were to triumph.
“We’ve worked really hard all season so it’s nice (that it’s) finally paid off and hopefully we can bring it home Sunday,” she said.
White’s 28 goals this season has played a big role in Eltham’s many convincing wins this season with the impressive duo Alannah Murray and Sarah Huntington also exceptional in 2022.
St Mary’s responded well to their semi-final defeat with a hard-fought win over Banyule by two goals last Sunday.
The minor premiers will be relieved that their mid-season form has translated to a grand final appearance and a win over the Panthers will cap off a brilliant season.
Burra star Elyssa Rees described how much their preliminary final win over the Bears last week meant to the entire side.
“Sunday was an emotional day, this is two seasons build up (after) having no finals last year with COVID, so we’re really excited to be finally heading into the grand final,” she said.
Following her stellar 2021 season where she won the Division 2 Coaches MVP award, Rees has again put together another fine campaign to put herself in the running again. She’s combined well with Jessica Hardy throughout the ground while Sarah Johnston’s forward presence has been outstanding, kicking 44 majors.
This will be both side’s first meeting at Preston City Oval since the Division 3 preliminary final in 2018 where in a low scoring game, the Panthers held on to win by just two points and judging by their battles this season, it could be another game that goes down to the wire.
CLEANING MELBOURNE DIVISION 3 WOMEN’S
Mernda vs Hurstbridge
Mernda
Ladder: 1st (11-2; 882.93%)
Leading Goalkicker (post-grading): Ameerah Gentle (17 goals)
Most times in best (post-grading): Gulia Ceravolo (7), Awek Dut (6), Ameerah Gentle (5)
Hurstbridge:
Ladder: 2nd (10-4; 563.53%)
Leading goalkicker (post-grading): Belinda Harris (19 goals)
Most times in best (post-grading): Belinda Harris (11), Sheridan Bennett (10), Melissa Martini (9)
The two best teams in the competition will fight it out for the Division 3 premiership as both Mernda and Hurstbridge search for their first premiership in the women’s competition.
The Demons come into this match with plenty of confidence having already defeated the Bridges three times this season, including by 13 points in the Second Semi-Final.
Mernda player Ruby Sommerville highlighted the entire side’s commitment each week and their ability to bring the best out of each other as a reason they’ve had as much on field success as they had this season.
“From last season to now we’ve developed so much together and individually and that’s because everyone’s been at training, everyone’s been all in and that’s what’s got us to the Grand Final,” she said.
Gulia Ceravolo and Awek Dut have been the two stand out’s for the Demons this season, working exceptionally well in the midfield while Ameerah Gentle has more than held her own in senior football, leading the club and the competition goal kicking leader board at just 14 years of age.
For the Bridges, a confidence boosting win over West Preston-Lakeside last week will be nothing but beneficial as they look to knock off Mernda for the second time this year.
Hurstbridge member Amy Graham has praised her side’s efforts throughout the 2022 campaign and believes that no matter the result on Sunday, her and her side will have given it their all.
“As long as we’re doing our best, we’re trying our hardest and we’re working together, whatever happens at least we’ve worked really hard and that we’re all in it together,” she said.
Belinda Harris, Sheridan Bennett and Melissa Martini have been the trio that have catapulted the Bridges into their current grand final position. All three have played critical roles in the midfield and forward end of the ground, ensuring Paul Reid’s side constantly have control of each contest.
Every match between these two sides have been close and there’s no reason to suggest that Sunday’s decider will be anything different.
