Vultures claim a massive four points, as Tonners continue dominance

Parkdale solidified their top four and finals credentials with a win, as did the top two, flexing their muscles in Round 11 of the Division 1 Women’s competition.

The Finals race is also heating up, with five games to sort the teams’ positions ahead of late August / early September. With that, this is the time of the season where teams want to be playing some of their best footy, and that certainly seems to be the case.

To kickstart the round, Old Brighton continued with their unbeaten run in 2024, following a 45-point victory over Old Melburnians.

In trying conditions at the home of the OM’s, Elsternwick Park, Old Brighton were busy from the get-go.

Inaccuracy in front of goals cost the Tonners from breaking the game open there and then, however they were sound defensively carrying a 1.5 (11) to 1.0 (6) lead into quarter time.

The visitors had all the ball after the first change with eight scoring shots to zero in the second term.

Courtesy of persistent midfield dominance and forward pressure, Old Melburnians barely had a look at scoring, but again inaccuracy was the name of the game for Old Brighton with a two-goal six quarter.

After half time it was much of the same for the Tonners, refining their accuracy around the sticks. Particularly from skipper Catrina O’Brien who kicked her sixth bag of three or more goals this season.

At one point they held a game-high 47-point advantage before a late Georgina Phelan goal for OM’s reduced the three quarter-time margin to 41.

A mixture of tough conditions and fatigue meant that no goals were kicked in the last, as Old Brighton came up victors, 7.17 (59) to 2.2 (14).

Among the best for the OM’s were Millie Nelson, Emily Fraser and Olivia Fairchild. Whilst for Old Brighton, Katie Grant, Siena Scott and India Tait who received for the eight time this year was named in the best.

Marcellin now sit comfortably second on the ladder, after their narrow 11-point win against Old Haileybury.

The weather clearly played a factor across all three games in Round 11, and the scoreboard reflects that particularly from this contest.

It was scrappy, it was wet, tough to gather clean possession and thus ultimately tough to kick goals.

From a Marcellin perspective, this was a game that they simply had to put away if they were to solidify their credentials at premiership challengers to Old Brighton.

So that is exactly what they did, it was tough, but they took the chocolates 2.11 (23) to 1.6 (12).

It was a gruelling first half, and for the most part incredibly even, as neither the Bloods nor Eagles could slot a major.

That was until T Zagontinos converted for the game’s first major and lifting Marcellin to a 6-point advantage at the main break.

The goal clearly gifted the visiting Eagles some momentum after half-time, as their lead grew out to 15-points on the back of a Zoe Glascott goal.

The rain and margin proved to be too much for the Bloods to work back from, despite kicking the only goal of the final term, Marcellin taking an 11-point win.

Alana Pane, Hayley Harley and Annabel Scott were named as some of the best for the winning Eagles. Old Haileybury’s Emily Rundle, Nicky Nowlan and Eloise McCrae were also mentioned amongst the best on ground.

In what loomed as game of the round, the fourth-placed Parkdale Vultures hosted third-placed Collegians at Gerry Green Reserve.

The opening term was much of what we came to expect from the two sides, the being intense and pressure football.

Parkdale held a narrow lead going into the quarter-time break, just four-points the difference.

Throughout the second term, it was all Vultures. The hosts held their opponents scoreless whilst added 2.3 (15) to their own tally, carrying a 19-point buffer into half-time.

Heading into the second half, the Lions ultimately needed a response, but the urgency and determination of the Parkdale midfield meant that much of the ball was in the Vultures forward half.

Parkdale piled on seven goals to one after half-time, 10.10 (70) to 2.0 (12) and claiming the four points.

The win elevated Parkdale up to third on the ladder, which could hold significant ramifications come finals.

Among the best for the Vultures were Sienna Symons and Lucy Burgess who kicked three goals each, as well as an impressive showing from vice-captain Isabella Daddo.

Heading into this week’s contests, once again there some games that will dictate how the ladder shapes ahead of the final month of the home and away season.

Old Haileybury will host Old Melburnians in what shapes as a battle to avoid bottom spot. Marcellin will look to just about secure a top two spot in their match against Collegians, while Old Brighton face Parkdale at Brighton Beach Oval.