Round 11 Womens Reserves Wrap Up

After coming off a convincing win against the Lions in Round 9, we went into our match against Claremont with all the confidence of big game trophy hunters. We certainly got the jump on our targets in the first half but unfortunately the Tigers swiped back hard in the second half, taking the game out by 36 points.

We dominated the clearances immediately and pressed forward through the roving efforts of Teal Bennett. Bennett’s long kick into our 50 spurred our forwards into hunting formation, and Jaymee Duke and Courtney Collard both had attempts at snaring the ball. It was ultimately the elite manoeuvring of Erin O’Brien that landed our first scoring point with her head shot on goals falling just short. She lined it up from a tight angle like the precision scope of a hunting rifle though. From there we peppered the goals without 6-point success until Trish Medwin’s relentless pressure resulted in a turnover that was sent down the wing, one Falcon after another, until it ended up in the hands of Scovia Anzoa who kicked truly. This particular passage of play was testament to the strength of our Falcons’ players when they’re playing smart, cohesive footy. Defensively, we repelled several Tigers’ attacks, and Blaise Harbron even managed to foil a sure Tigers’ goal with her hard running pursuit of their stripy coats. 

At the end of the first we had our wings in front by 6 points and we extended that lead slightly by half time. Cameron Dawson once again started us off with her extendable limbs finding the ball well before her opponent. She sent a few perfectly placed taps to Teal Bennett, allowing her to rove, gun and drive forward. We had a slight intermission from our attack when Claremont controlled the ball without converting around the middle of the quarter. Fortunately, Alison Blanchard decided that four plodding Tigers were no match for a soaring Falcon and her impressive outnumbered pack mark led to our next goal. Blanchard’s hard fought ball ended up in the safe hands of Erin O’Brien who then kicked to Chloe Metcalf to seal the goal. If Metcalf was Pat Benatar, you could have said that she hit us with her best shot. She fired away. Towards the end of the quarter we also had some outstanding marking from Erin O’Brien, Kristen Jayasuria and Courtney Collard. It was a marking feast for the ages, with each player clamping their hands around the ball like they were contending for the presidency of “The Association for Masters of Marking”. It’s a legit thing.

At half time we were up by 7 points but after the break we immediately lost that lead in a blur of snarling Tigers and swiping claws. Just like Meatloaf’s 2011 Grand Final performance, let’s simply forget the trauma of those 18 minutes and move on. Special mention, however, does have to go to our runner, Holly Williams, whose Hubba Bubba pink uniform clashed with the deep ferocity of her support for the girls while their heads were down. We should all take a leaf out of her book on the fighting spirit.

In the fourth quarter we regained control, putting the Tigers back in their cages like the performing circus animals they are. Kristen Jayasuria kicked a bang-on goal after marking over the pack from a beautifully delivered pass by Courtney Collard. We peppered the goals as if the lid had fallen off the shaker but disappointingly we weren’t able to convert and make up ground on Claremont’s lead. Tia Bergin’s snap across her body was an impressive feat though, and even Tracy Gallagher found her way into the action to have a crack at goals - when she wasn’t having a crack at Tigers. For their part, the Tigers didn’t appreciate being forced to jump through hoops and gave away several undisciplined free kicks. If only we had made the most of them. While we controlled the ball, our inability to hit the big sticks meant that Claremont ran out the game 36 point winners; 9.5 (50) to 3.5 (23). It was a tough day at the oval when you control the game for three quarters and still don’t come away with the win.

Nevertheless, we’ll run to kick the footy another day, so make sure you show your support for our Womens Reserves against Swan Districts at Provident Financial Oval this Sunday.