Sharks, Stars sublime in Division 1 openers

Sarah Ward

If we have learnt anything from Round 1, it is this competition has gone from strength-to-strength with most sides entering their third year. The competition is fierce and the results are in so let’s find out how the opening round played out for our Division 1 clubs.

Ivanhoe AFC v Williamstown CYMS

Ivanhoe progress to Round 2 with a win on the board after beating Williamstown CYMS by 27 points. The match was hard fought and congested with constant stoppages and both sides eager to throw themselves at the footy. The Ivies could not seem to convert, entering half time with eight behinds on the scoreboard to the Seagals’ two. The Ivies moved the ball quicker in the second half, kicking four goals answered by one from the Seagals. The CY’s pressure around the contest was a distinct asset, pushing the Ivies into tougher scoring positions while their energetic and vocal nature was also on display. Stephanie Basile was a standout in the forward line along with Bess Chan playing her first match for the club and Zoe Day through the midfield. The victors were led by Megan Tsilemanis, Georgia Scarce, Rachel Mclean and Emilia Bisogni.

Hawthorn AFC v Beaumaris

Beaumaris kickstarted their 2019 campaign with a 40-point win over Hawthorn AFC at Rathmines Reserve. Going into the rooms at half time, there was a mere eight points separating the two sides; however, the pressure applied around clearances by the Sharks over the course of the first half wore away at the Hawks and ultimately allowed the Sharks to capitalise in the third quarter by kicking five unanswered goals. Ellie Hearne starred for the Sharks with six goals after taking out the Premier B White goal kicking award alongside Hannah Stuart last year. Debutant Alex Gilchrist also had a standout performance, kicking two goals and was complemented by the classy skill-set of Ellen Wood. There were numerous positive takeaways for the Hawks including Helena West’s first goal and standout performances from Lauren Cosson and Sarah Delbosc.

Old Mentonians v Old Haileyburians

The reigning premiers commenced their season with a 23-point victory over Old Mentonians. Quick ball movement and fast passages of play were a feature of the Hearts’ opening half and they kept the Panthers goalless while booting five themselves. The Hearts, having lost six girls from their premiership side, welcomed eight new players to the field with two recruits, Anna Stewart and Claire Weiss, seamlessly slotting into the midfield. Co-captain Jordan Shanks and key forward Sarah Allingham kicked three goals apiece. Strong performances came from Madi Capsalis (two goals) for the Panthers, as well as dynamic efforts from Samantha Kerr and Jesse Hamill.

Scotch Stars v Old Brighton

Scotch Stars sent a message to the remainder of the competition as they blazed to a 52-point win over Old Brighton. Losing key player and GAA International Rules representative Emma Stafford in the warm up, the Tonners struggled in the first quarter, with the Stars kicking three early goals. Stafford sustained a suspected rolled ankle and we await news on the scans to see if she will line up in Round 2. The Tonners fought hard in the second and third terms, keeping the Stars temporarily at bay. However, the pressure exerted by the Stars on the ball carrier resulted in key intercepts across the midfield and half back, which ultimately led to a dominant fourth quarter, kicking five unanswered goals. The goals were shared by seven of the Stars players with Emily McClure kicking three and Amy Arundel securing two. The experience of Anna Hayes and voice of their leaders such as Emily Jarman contributed to securing the win for the Stars. Caterina O’Brien kicked the two goals for the Tonners and Layne Davies also displayed her class. After putting in a solid pre-season, Teagan King impressed  for the Tonners off the half-back flank.