Olinda-Ferny Creek’s Senior Women’s team has cemented their place in history after a jubilant 43-point victory over Pakenham in front of a packed house at Healesville on Sunday 13 August.
For those that have followed Olinda’s progress through the season, the unlikely victory was all the more meritorious. Olinda beat every team during the year but also lost to every team with the exception of bottom placed Monbulk.
Olinda had disappointingly lost to Pakenham twice in the home and away. Olinda faced Berwick Springs, a team they had capitulated to two weeks previously, in a cut-throat clash in round 14, with the winner to scrape into the last place in the final four.
Olinda faced the undefeated Healesville on their home deck in the preliminary final, beating the unbackable flag favourites by four points. Olinda did not have their full side once in the entire season, with key personnel missing large chunks of time.
Olinda lost 14 players at the start of the year, including captain and dual best and fairest winner Maddi Collins and leading goal kicker Phoebe Dixon. Olinda’s list of 25 was heavily represented with under age players, with 14 U18s in the side, the youngest aged just 14. Olinda held several soul searching sessions during the season as they struggled to find synergy with such a massive influx of new players.
All the elements added up to what was a fairytale victory and the culmination of three years of toil and effort by a host of people past and present, on and off the field.
Half the mountain was at the game and celebrated with the girls well into the morning. The feat of these pioneering girls in making their small community happy and proud should not be underestimated.
The game itself was an enjoyable spectacle in front of a vocal, energetic crowd.
Olinda burst out of the blocks with two first quarter goals to first year Blood Olivia (The Weapon!) Edwards, and were never seriously threatened from that point. Liv has been a revelation in the team, has been the leading goal kicker and has been the forward line General all season. Liv was instrumental in shaping what was surely the most talent laden forward line in the competition. Liv ended up with four goals for the game, her third and fourth spectacular highlights and a fitting example of her talents. As usual , Liv’s handprints were on most of the other goals kicked, and it was a near perfect game. Liv would surely have taken the best on ground medal home if it wasn’t for the presence of….
Grace (The Ace) Belloni. There have been great AFL finals performers over the years, Gary Ablett in ’89, Michael Long in ’93, and Dusty Martin in ’17. Add Grace Belloni ’23 to that list because her performance in this finals series has been nothing short of awe-inspiring. From Grace’s game winning run and goal in the Preliminary Final upset win against Healesville, to her four-goal dominant game in the Grand Final, Grace could not have done more for the team. Grace’s game had everything, goals, assists, high marks, bullet handballs and crunching tackles. Grace is one of Olinda’s famed Young Bloods, and there is little doubt you will be seeing her name again.
Another first year Blood Lucy (Goose) Hilton has made an enormous difference to the DNA of the side, and she brings with her an immeasurable quality, grit. Lucy’s Grand Final was typical in and under ball extraction and brutal blocks, bumps and tackles. Luce is an excellent outside player too, with her overhead marking and ball use a highlight.
Miss Football Lily (Laser) Carlin and Kyah (The Missile) Barry are prototypes of the way Olinda women’s play, and want to play in the future. Fast, hard running, precision ball use and fierce tackling.
Kyah’s signature run-down tackles in the first quarter set the tone for the contest, and her run and carry all game was incredibly influential.
Lily’s running goal in the last quarter, her first for the year, was the game’s biggest highlight in front of Olinda’s rapturous supporters.
When using the word “influence”, you cannot leave out the name Chelsea (Big Kahuna) Wilson. Everything good Olinda does on the field starts with Chelse, and she is easily the League’s best Ruck. Chelsea’s Grand Final was another customary dominant display.
Leah (The Lion) Cody was incredibly valuable in the first half before leaving the ground with a dislocated finger. It seemed every Pakenham foray forward was being marked by Leah, and her performance really took the sting out Pakenham’s chances of creating scoreboard pressure.
Special mention must go to Olinda’s backs, brilliantly led by Casey (The Vault) Seymour. Case, Paige (The Rage) Robinson and Anna (Goanna) Hughson, had excellent seasons and finals, and will be feared by opposition forwards for years to come.
Saving the best for last, Captain Courageous Claire Hyett, Olinda’s inspirational leader. Claire fights every game to the death, and puts her small frame in dangerous places with little regard for her own safety. Off the field, she is an inspirational leader not just of her team, but her club and community. It could not be more fitting that the final siren sounded with the ball in Claire’s hands, and the sight of Captain Courageous holding the cup aloft on the dais will be an enduring image for decades to come.
Olinda-Ferny Creek took home the premiership with a score of 60 points from nine goals and six points, to Pakenham’s 17 points from two goals and five points.
Congratulations to the team, coach Simon Gilson and his support group, and the OFCFNC as a whole.
