Top 4 locked in Premier B Women’s

After 13 rounds of football, the Premier B Women’s top four is locked in, with Old Brighton, Old Melburnians, Port Melbourne Chargers and Westbourne Grammarians all securing a win this week to book their ticket to the finals series.

Port Melbourne Chargers stormed home after a slow start, overturning a 17-point deficit to claim a dominant 63-point win over Marcellin. After a goalless first quarter, the Chargers found their rhythm and piled on ten unanswered goals across the final three terms in a performance built on resilience, teamwork, and forward firepower.

Marcellin charged out of the blocks, taking the Chargers by surprise as they kicked 2.5 (17) to 0 in the first.

At the first break, Chargers coach Harriet Cooper reminded her group to maintain composure and trust in the game plan, and that they did.

Port Melbourne took control in the second term, with Nayely Borg providing a real spark as she kicked their first two majors of the day, including a goal of the year contender.

From there, the Chargers never looked back, pulling off the ultimate turnaround to win 10.20 (80) to 2.5 (17).

Cooper applauded her side’s team-first mentality, believing that was what allowed them to turn the momentum of the game.

“Our defensive pressure improved significantly after the first quarter and our ball movement became much more fluid and precise. The way we communicated on the field and supported each other was exceptional, and it really highlighted the strong bond within this group,” she said.

In terms of individual performances, Maia Sublet was the star of the show, winning the ruck battle and racking up contested possessions. Olivia Box also impressed with her reliable decision making and precise disposal, proving to be an invaluable member of the team.

In attack, Georgia Harris was formidable, ending the day with five majors, which leaves her just three shy of her milestone 300^th career goal.

With the double bye behind them, Port Melbourne looks refreshed and focused, building momentum at the right time of the season. Marcellin, despite the early promise, will be looking to regroup and find consistency heading into the final rounds.

Westbourne Grammarians made it five on the trot, grinding out a gritty 23-point victory over St Bedes/Mentone Tigers in blustery conditions that proved a real challengefor both sides. Despite the final margin, the contest remained tightly fought throughout.

Unable to register a major in the first half, Westbourne trailed by a single point at the main break, with the Tigers holding a narrow advantage. The hosts continued to pepper the goals in the third term, kicking a remarkable 12 behinds before finally breaking through with a goal from Sienna Burns-Bradley.

Leading by nine points at the final change, Westbourne found another gear, slotting another two majors in the final term to stretch the final scoreline out to 3.14 (32) to 1.3 (9).

Westbourne coach Chris Grant was pleased with how his side persevered throughout the game, highlighting their inside-50 efficiency as a key difference in the tight contest.

“With the teams evenly matched, the ball was regularly getting into both ends of the ground,but we were able to capitalise a few more times to hit the scoreboard, with our defence doing a terrific job containing the opposition entries,” he said.

Hannah Scothern was named best on ground for Westbourne, playing a pivotal role across the half-back line in just her 13^th game of senior football. Roxana Sefton, Paige Trajkovski and Gracie Lamers all starred in the midfield, while Temeika Cathery was as dangerous as ever in the forward line.

For St Bedes/Mentone, Olivia Steinfort showcased her experience, earning the coach’s votes once again, while Isabella Gietzmann continued to be the key target up forward, kicking their sole goal.

Grant praised the visible development from his side, with their winning streak a testament to their growing confidence and cohesion. Looking ahead to their upcoming clash with ladder-leaders Old Brighton, Grant expressed his enthusiasm for the opportunity to test their progress.

 “With some very experienced and high-level players, we are going to need to find another new level to be able to compete with them, but the girls are looking forward to the challenge,” Grant said.

Westbourne will host Old Brighton at Andrew Park Pavillion, where they currently boast an unbeaten home record.

Old Melburnians returned from the break with intent, delivering a dominant 84-point win over Old Xaverians.

Old Xavs struck early, kicking the first goal within the opening minute, but it was all the Omlettes from there. Old Melburnians responded with three goals in the first term maintained control throughout, keeping Xavs goalless for the final three quarters.

Omlettes coach Nic Stephens was thrilled with his team’s output.

“It was just a really strong performance across the team this weekend,” he said.

“Our backline was really disciplined and had great support from our midfield and wings. Our forward line worked really well together to get each other free and stretch Xavs backline to give us space to run into. I think our defensive pressure all over the field was also the best it’s been in a while which was really important.”

As always, Stephens was full of praise for the players, noting that several had their best game of the season so far.

In defence, Issy Rankin-Ward led the backline, winning or equalising all of her one-on-ones and helping to maintain their structure all day. Through the middle, Georgia Dunlop’s work rate was immense, helping out defensively to free up the other mids for offense. In the ruck, the trio of Lily Wallace, Ella Bennetts and Caitlyn Bayley dominated, earning their side first touch all day and providing height up forward.

Old Xaverians battled hard, bringing intense pressure, but were ultimately outclassed. Mel Clarke, Alessandra Libertone, and Emily Callinan were among their best, but struggled to generate any forward pressure after their early goal from Cristina Sgarbossa.

Old Brighton reinforced their position atop the ladder with a commanding 81-point win over Melbourne University, 11.15 (81) to 0.0 (0), in a match that highlighted their speed, structure, and relentless pressure across all four quarters.

Despite the deficit, Melbourne University showed fight but struggled to generate any scoring opportunities against Brighton’s well-organised unit.

Sienna Courtney was electric early, kicking four goals by half-time and finishing with five for the match. Courtney was well supported in attack by Tiger Doultree, who slotted three majors of her own.

Old Brighton Coach Andrew Grant praised his side’s adaptability, particularly on the expansive University Oval.

“We used our handball very effectively which enabled us to get our running game going, which was important on such a big ground.”

Chloe George and Shanelle Hodgkinson were instrumental through the middle of the ground, providing run and carry to help with their speedy transition.

For Melbourne University, the return of Frances Walsh was a major positive, with Walsh named best afield for the Mugars. Mickey Gostencnik and Nell Washington also continued their strong seasons, playing in great form once again.

With the top four spots all taken, there is still room for movement amongst the top four, making the remaining clashes just as important.

At Elsternwick Park, Old Melburnians will host Port Melbourne Chargers in a blockbuster showdown, with second place on the ladder up for grabs. Meanwhile, Marcellin will look to bounce back when they face Old Xaverians, who are also searching for consistency in the final stretch. Over at Andrew Park Pavilion, Westbourne will put their unbeaten home record to the test against ladder-leaders Old Brighton in what could be a finals preview. And at Melbourne University Oval, MUWFC will aim to break through for their first win of the season against a steadily improving Old Yarra Cobras outfit.