Old Scotch book grand final spot as St Kevin’s edge Kew

The opening week of the William Buck Premier Women’s finals delivered exactly what was expected – tight contests, momentum swings, and three sides now firmly eyeing off the premiership.

St Kevin’s booked a spot in the preliminary final after a gritty eight-point win over Kew 5.5 (35) to 4.3 (27). In a game defined by relentless pressure, Kew’s defensive efforts forced St Kevin’s to stay patient.

St Kevin’s Coach Tom Purcell praised his team’s composure:

“Pleased we stayed calm and composed under the enormous defensive pressure Kew put us under all day. Belief, leadership and better ball movement in the last quarter got us over the line.”

Kew held ascendency on the scoreboard for much of the contest, holding an 11, 9, and then 10-point lead at the three respective breaks.

With the game in the balance late, St Kevin’s showed maturity and class, pulling away in the final term. Holly Kenealy got going early slotting two majors to give the SKOB Saints a lead for the first time in the match. Hannah Smith joined in, kicking one truly, before the Bears hit back to draw the margin back to a single point.

A final goal to sharpshooter Hannah Smith late in the final term was ultimately the sealer that sees the Saints progress through to a Preliminary Final and keep their hopes of a flag alive.

Due credit to Kew for the pressure applied throughout the contest and creating a real challenge for the 2024 grand finalists.

For St Kevin’s, their reward is another crack at Caulfield Grammarians in this weekend’s preliminary final, with a grand final berth on the line.

Old Scotch claimed the direct ticket to the grand final after edging out Caulfield Grammarians 7.5 (47) to 6.5 (41) in a thrilling second semi-final. In challenging windy conditions, the Cardinals jumped out to an early lead and held off a determined Fields comeback.

Caulfield coach Danielle Di Stefano reflected on the slow start:

“While the windy conditions played a considerable role on the day, we allowed Scotch to get too big a jump on us in the first quarter, which was difficult to come back from.”

Despite the loss, Caulfield will take confidence from their second-half fightback as they prepare to face St Kevin’s in a blockbuster preliminary final.

For Old Scotch, coach Dean Anderson hailed the significance of the win:

“For our program and its people to make another William Buck Premier grand final, in an increasingly competitive competition, is deeply rewarding. We had contributors in all facets of the game… Our captain, Katie Hunter Scott, led by example with her tackling and defensive pressure, whilst managing to find her own ball.”

Anderson highlighted standout forward Mia Cowan, who once again proved a handful in attack, while the team’s resilience under a late Caulfield surge demonstrated their premiership credentials.

Old Scotch now have a week off to reset and prepare for another shot at back-to-back premierships. Meanwhile, Caulfield Grammarians and St Kevin’s will battle it out in the preliminary final, both desperate to join the Cardinals in the big dance.

With all three clubs showing strong form and resilience, the stage is set for an enthralling run to the 2025 VAFA Premier Women’s premiership.

William Buck Premier Women’s Preliminary Final Preview

St Kevin’s vs Caulfield Grammarians

The William Buck Premier Women’s preliminary final sees St Kevin’s and Caulfield Grammarians face off for the right to challenge Old Scotch in the grand final. Both teams come in with belief after gritty performances in the semi-finals, and with a place in the grand final at stake, expect intensity from the first bounce.

Caulfield showed resilience against Old Scotch, finishing strongly after a sluggish start. Coach Danielle Di Stefano stressed the importance of carrying that momentum forward:

“I was really pleased with our ability to respond after half time and finish the game off really strong. We will look to take that into this weekend’s game against St Kevin’s.”

St Kevin’s, meanwhile, grinded out a narrow win against Kew, with their composure in the final quarter proving decisive. Coach Tom Purcell said belief and leadership were critical:

“We’re looking forward to another big clash against Caulfield to try and qualify for the Big Dance.”

Last time St Kevin’s and Caulfield Grammarians clashed it was a nail-biting contest, with SKOB edging out the Fields in a low-scoring 4.3 (27) to 4.1 (25) win. St Kevin’s shared the load up forward with four individual goal kickers, while Ellie McLinden, Isabella Stutt and Sarah Cameron were among their best. For Caulfield, Sarah Kenny was a standout up forward with three goals, supported strongly by Charlie Anderson, Jacinta Baxter and Alicia Myers, who all impressed despite the narrow defeat.

Cooper’s 3 Key Points – Caulfield Grammarians

1. Early Impact – Avoiding a slow start will be crucial after chasing Old Scotch last week.
2. Carry Over Momentum – Their second-half fightback showcased their best football; replicating that energy from the outset is vital.
3. Conversion in Attack – Making the most of forward 50 entries could decide their chances.

Cooper’s 3 Key Points – St Kevin’s

1. Calm Under Pressure – Their ability to stay composed against Kew must carry into this clash.
2. Leadership and Belief – Senior players stood tall last week; they’ll need to lead again.
3. Ball Movement – Quick, clean transitions will be key to breaking through Caulfield’s defensive setup.