No room for mercy: Statement wins as Finals loom

Unfortunately, the first match of Round 14 in Division 4 Women’s was decided by forfeit with West Brunswick claiming the four points over Oakleigh. This was a much-needed four points banked, as the Magpies stay in touch with the top four, while for Oakleigh, they will look to finish the season well in their final fixture against Westbourne next weekend.

Like West Brunswick, Canterbury claimed an important 57-point triumph against St Kevin’s at Canterbury Sportsground, leaving them well placed to make an assault at the top four.

But it was a slow start for Canterbury as St Kevin’s booted the first goal of the game to Canterbury’s three minor scores. Trailing by 3 points at the first break, Canterbury kicked into gear early in the second quarter with goals from Georgia Bold and Eva Catania. While frequent forward 50 entries allowed Canterbury some scoring momentum, it was their back six that stood firm to hold St Kevin’s scoreless in the second term.

Reward for forward pressure was evident in the second half for Canterbury, as another two goals were booted in the third quarter. Amelia Desmond, Keira Jebb, Stephanie Langley, Brigette Robets, and Isabella Tipper were great contributors in the win, all finding their names in the goal-scorers column.

But it was the fourth term where most of the damage was done. A 5.4 goal to nil quarter tied loose ends for the Canterbury side who stretched their lead out to an impressive 9 goals at the final siren.

Not contending for a final’s birth, St Kevin’s will play Fitzroy in their final fixture for the year. Meanwhile, Canterbury faces a must-win clash against Old Yarra at Doncaster Reserve that will determine their final’s fate.

Caufield Grammarians put in a complete performance against Monash Blues on Saturday afternoon, winning by 52 points.

From the opening bounce, the Caulfield were relentless. Ruby Hong burst out of the centre of the ground to boot the Grammarians’ first major of the afternoon. Cait Adams and Tori Huggins were resourceful in the midfield, getting first hands on the football from clearance. These players were instrumental in Caufield taking a 19-point lead at the first change.

The Grammarians’ had a productive second term with 8-scoring shots, yet just the two goals to show. Monash were able to effectively chain the ball down the field to boot their first goal for the match, with Grace Holberton splitting the middle.

Grammarians’ coach Lachie Worthy noted a raise in Monash’s pressure in the second quarter.

“It was difficult for us to take our opportunities.” However, “Ella Hargreaves and Kate Wicks stood tall in defence as we (Caulfield) were able to repel the Monash attacks” commented Worthy.

The floodgates opened again in third quarter with the Grammarians doing all the scoring, outscoring the Blues 2.4 to nil. Lauren Yarrow’s third for the match in the fourth term capped off a comfortable 52-point thumping of the Blues.   

In the final round of the regular season, Caufield will take on Preston as they look to shore up a top two finish. For the Blues, the road ends here as they have the bye fixtured in Round 15. The Blues’ final record in season 2025 reads 3-11 typified by some impressive victories against St Kevin’s and Oakleigh.

The Old Yarra Cobras’ have found their groove at the right time of the season with finals on the horizon, dismantling Preston Bullants by 74 points on Saturday afternoon.

The win has entrenched the Cobras in the top four and has seemingly sent a timely reminder of their quality to the rest of the competition as the regular season nears its denouement.

They set their intentions clear with a dominant opening term which culminated in a 33-point lead. At the forefront of the damage was Hilary Donelan, who booted three of their five first quarter goals.

The second quarter was a bit more subdued for the Cobras’ high-scoring style, with Morgan Kellett-Jackson’s goal helping to extend their lead to 41 points at the main change.

After copping a first half shellacking, the Bullants responded well in the third quarter. Captain Lily Saunders put the team on her back to kick two consecutive goals and cut the margin back to a manageable 5 goals. However, any ideas of the Bullants reigning in the Cobras’ lead were dispelled by April Jones, who goaled on the stroke of three-quarter time.

The biggest quarter was yet to come for the Cobras. The final term saw an avalanche of scoring down the Cobras’ end. Donelan made it four goals for the afternoon, with support from Kellett-Jackson, Charlotte Peak (2 goals) and Shayla Cleverly (2 goals). These efforts culminated in a 6-goal final term that put the result beyond doubt and stamped the Cobras’ authority on the competition in its final stages.

Round 15 will see the Cobras take on an in-form Canterbury side, as Preston will finish their season against the Caulfield Grammarians.