ONE rival goal, deep in the fourth quarter, snatched state schoolgirl football glory from Ballarat Grammar. And that goal was Methodist Ladies’ College’s sole goal.
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So close to pulling off a back-to-back feat in the AFL Victoria Herald Sun senior girls’ shield, the Grammar team was still rapt after a three-point loss. The girls out their game on the line in an AFL curtain raiser at Etihad Stadium on Saturday. This scheduling is an honour usually reserved for the state’s top schoolboys.
Grammar coach Matt Hanlon said the match was a great display of girls’ football.
“If we had’ve been playing on a suburban ground the girls probably would’ve been a lot more disappointed but the experience at Etihad was phenomenal,” Hanlon said. “We had access to proper warm-up rooms and the coaches’ room to prepare – Carlton (Football Club) was fantasticto let us use all that before a game.”
A low-scoring game did not detract from skills and high-pressure on show. Grammar had four scoring shots and scrappy play up forward was quickly pounced on and rebounded by a sharp MLC defence. But MLC struggled to kick majors, despite peppering the goal, under Grammar’s close defensive check.
Ruck Rene Caris was Grammar’s best on ground while Isobel Cleary was sensational in defence. O’Dwyer sisters Kathryn and Grace worked tenaciously through the midfield while Maggie Astbury, cousin of Richmond’s David Astbury, was a strong forward.
Hanlon said the big Etihad Stadium ground challenged both teams’ games.
“Both teams felt that. The brand of football was very physical,” Hanlon said. “We were very privileged to be a part of that final and an AFL game day.”
Grammar captain Zoe Nevett spoke well in the post-match about her team’s journey to Etihad Stadium.
MLC was runner-up to Grammar in last year’s senior girls final and was held scoreless in that match.
MLC 1.11 (17) d
BGS 2.2 (14)