Senior Womens
After a disrupted finals campaign last year, the girls were excited that they had the chance to play through and compete for a grand final this year. First, though, the imposing task of taking on Healesville who had been the better of the two teams each time they played through the year. Last week that Upwey had been very physical with them in their punishing Semi-Final victory, so the message was to be hard at the footy and physical around the contest.
And physical it was.
The Healesville coaches had implored their girls to bounce back from that loss with renewed effort, run and physical pressure.
An early goal to Healesville set the Olinda girls back on their heels a little as Olinda adjusted to the increased pressure and physicality of the contest. They could win the ball around the ground but using effectively proved to be very challenged as Healesville applied continual pressure and squeezed opportunities. The Healesville ruck, who has played well against us in all games, used her strength at stoppages to control the middle and give the Healesville followers first use of the footy.
The girls hung in the game through the first half but found scoring a challenge. Maddie Collins crept up the ground to find the footy but was often under pressure when trying to kick. No side has challenged her this year as much as Healesville did on Sunday. Lily Carlin and Claire Hyett, as they have done all year, won more than their fair share of contests through the middle of the ground but their forward entries were repeatedly repelled by the Healesville defenders. When Olinda did finally score, the centre stoppage gave Healesville the chance to quickly get the goal back. It was the same story for every goal kicked during the match.
The girls came into the halftime break 27 points down, but by no means finished yet. It was the closest Olinda had been to Healesville at halftime all year and towards the end of the second quarter, some of the link-up footy that had given them many scoring opportunities against Pakenham last week was seen. When Olinda could play this brand of footy they looked like the better team, but the Healesville experience and superior strength in the contest made it impossible to sustain. Young gun Grace Belloni took plenty of contested marks but was also at the bottom of almost every pack.
Repeated knees to the midsection in the ruck contest saw ruck Chelsea Wilson doubles over in pain and unable to continue. The physicality of the ruck contests had knocked Chelsea around all day, making it hard for her to keep up with the Healesville ruck who had been dominant around the ground. Hard nut Kylie Verbakel put her hand up to run with the Healesville ruck and the midfielders were instructed that they might not win many of the taps and so they had to work to their midfielders. Kylie was great in shutting her down around the ground, but credit to their ruck, she is strong and fit and that was the big difference between the two sides.
The defensive unit was strong all day as they have been all year. Sophie Caldwell put her hand up to run with dangerous Healesville forward pocket and she had her measure most of the day. Casey Seymour proved she is one of the best full-backs in the competition as she nullified so many Healesville forward entries and Ness Bateman’s footy smarts saw her get to, and win, many contests. Leah Cody’s defensive intercepts save many goals and Alex Gunn is a wrecking ball at every contest.
The second half saw us really match Healesville’s intensity and gameplay. Chelsea returned in the final quarter to play up forward and had an immediate impact and the difference between the two teams over the half was only six points. The girls never gave up and proved that they will be a force to be reckoned with.
There has been significant adversity with injury and illness with up to 10 players unavailable for some matches throughout the year. For a team that has been only together for two seasons, they have done phenomenally well to challenge the top teams for the flag. More game time, improvements in skill and gameplay and stronger bodies that come through experience will only make them a better side, but more importantly, they are a tight unit that payoff each other and are part of a legacy for female football in Olinda that will last a very long time.
