Coburg pipped at the post by fast finishing Collegians

Lauren Atkinson

Round 5 in the William Buck Premier Women’s competition consisted of mostly one-sided affairs, with one thrilling contest going right down to the wire between Coburg and Collegians.

The round kicked off bright and early at Victoria Park, where Kew hosted the Old Yarra Cobras, with both sides looking to bounce back after disappointing losses in Round 4.

It was another tough match up for Old Yarra who only managed to score once for the day, with a goal kicked by Clare Moody in the third quarter. The damage could have been far greater than the final margin of 26 points had Kew been more accurate in front of goals, with their 17 scoring shots converting to just 32 points.

Amelia Dawborn was best afield for Kew for a second consecutive week, finishing with two majors. For the Cobras, Mikayla Lee battled hard in her best game of the season so far, while Nicole Callinan continued her strong form.

Over at Righetti Oval, St Kevin’s refused to falter with a 53-point victory over Melbourne University Women’s. St Kevin’s have been slow starters the last few weeks and this match continued in that trend, with a tight battle in the first term, with just three points separating the two sides at the first break. However, St Kevin’s took control in the second term, outscoring MUW by 26 points.

Both teams tightened their defence in the second half, leading to a lower scoring affair, as St Kevin’s managed three goals for the half and Melbourne University scored just one behind.

It was the two Jessicas, Jessica Cox and Jessica Joyce, who impressed the most for St Kevin’s, while Ashleigh Summers (4 goals) and Kate Stanton (3 goals) were prolific up forward.

Brooke Randall, who has been in the votes every round this season, was the standout player for Melbourne University.

Meanwhile, ladder-leaders Old Scotch flexed their muscles against bottom-placed Monash Blues in a 70-point thrashing. Old Scotch bolted out of the blocks with their best quarter of football so far this year, kicking forty points in the first term, while keeping the Blues scoreless.

Monash improved as the game went on but were ultimately only able to slow the Stars’ attack, not stop it, as Old Scotch continued to hit the scoreboard in each quarter. The final quarter was certainly something for Monash to be proud of, as they outscored Old Scotch by 2 points, making them the first team to beat Old Scotch in a quarter of football this year.

Eloise Defina was sensational for Old Scotch, kicking a remarkable five goals to jump to the top of the goal kicking tally, while Mietta Kendall proved a very handy addition in her first game for the Stars this year.

Monash were led by their Captain Alicia Myers, who continued her strong form with another best on performance, while Caitlin Linehan and Anna Purtill also competed well.

In the closest match of the round, Collegians came from behind to get over the line by just 4 points against Coburg. It was a tight tussle in the first half which resulted in a 5-point lead to Coburg at the main break. Coburg were able to extend their lead to a significant 21 points going into the final term, however, it was not enough, as Collegians stormed home with a five-goal last quarter to steal the win at Piranha Park.

Ada Chessor, Roxy Beuzeville and Freya Taylor all played crucial roles in the win for Collegians, while skipper Claire Cashman was a shining light on a disappointing day for Coburg.

Away from home, Caulfield Grammarians got back on the winners list with a well-rounded performance against West Brunswick. Caulfield got off to a good start, kicking three goals in the first, while West Brunswick only slotted one. The second term was the closest of the match, with each team scoring a single goal.

Caulfield overran West Brunswick in the second half, holding the Magpies to one behind, while scoring 28 points themselves to lead by 40 points at the final siren. Taylah Watson and Charlotte Carney were best of the West, while Maggie Minchin and Ine Beerens led the way for Caulfield.

Round 6 of William Buck Premier threatens more lopsided results, with the top two sides set to face off against the bottom two sides.

To kick things off, Monash Blues will host St Kevin’s in what will be another tough match up for the Blues – can Monash use what they learnt from playing Old Scotch this week to help thwart St Kevin’s attacks, or will St Kevin’s assert themselves with another big win?

Next, Kew will travel to Piranha Park to take on Coburg, who will be hungry to get back on the winners list after falling to Collegians at the final hurdle. Meanwhile, Collegians will look to solidify their top four spot with a fourth win when they take on West Brunswick at McAlister Oval.

Old Yarra Cobras will host Caulfield Grammarians in a fiery battle, with the result likely to impact the ladder standings. Finally, Melbourne University will have the home ground advantage against Old Scotch, but it’s unlikely to provide enough of an edge to get them over the line against the undefeated Stars unit.