Old Scotch statement & in-form Caulfield – William Buck Premier Women’s Round 16 Review

Round 16 of the William Buck Premier Women’s competition delivered several important results as the home-and-away season moves towards its conclusion, with Old Scotch producing a statement victory while St Kevin’s, Caulfield Grammarians and West Brunswick all recorded convincing wins.

Fitzroy 1.2 (8) def by Old Scotch 19.14 (128)

Old Scotch produced arguably their best performance of the season, dismantling Fitzroy by 120 points.

The reigning premiers dominated from the opening bounce, with Mia Cowan and Jordan Mifsud both finishing with four goals, while Anna Vrsecky added three.

Cowan, Elizabeth Wotherspoon and Sophie McIntosh were among Old Scotch’s best, with Old Scotch coach Dean Anderson particularly pleased with the contribution of the club’s younger players.

“We had arguably our best game of the year against Fitzroy,” Anderson said. “We were pleased with all phases of our game but have clarity on where we can keep improving. Our connection between midfield and forward is an area to keep working on.”

Anderson said the consistency of his playing group had been a major strength throughout the season, while highlighting the impact of the club’s emerging players.

“Our young players are really having an impact – Pont, McIntosh, Wotherspoon, Johnston and Crough were all very good and have given our group a massive boost this year,” he said.

For Fitzroy, Stephanie Tredwell kicked the only goal in her return to the club, while Steph Pitt, Susie Carr and Grace Painting were their best performers.

Fitzroy coach Nathan Jumeau said the contest against the competition’s benchmark provided an important opportunity for his side to continue developing.

“I think going up against the best in the comp this week showed the group that continually looking to improve if that’s the step they want to take as a group,” Jumeau said.

Tredwell impressed on her return, while Carr continued her promising first season of football in Australia.

St Kevin’s 6.5 (41) def Kew 4.1 (25)

St Kevin’s secured an important 16-point victory over Kew in a hard-fought contest.

The victory was highlighted by a balanced contribution in front of goal, with six different St Kevin’s players hitting the scoreboard. Bree Doyle, Holly Kenealy and Angelique Argiros were among their best.

St Kevin’s coach Jaime Pi said defeating a side sitting above them on the ladder was particularly significant.

“To beat someone above us in Kew, that was important for us,” Pi said.

Pi was also pleased with the way his side executed their game plan, describing their style as “surge football with controlled aggression”.

Kew had four individual goalkickers, while Sarah Ford, Alexandra Schuller and Lauralee Rinaldi were among their best. Despite the defeat, Kew coach Mannie Di Parsia was proud of his side’s response, particularly in the final quarter after struggling to consistently win possession and contests earlier in the game.

Di Parsia praised Ford for her best performance for the team. While disappointed with the result, Di Parsia said there were positives to take from the way his side fought until the final siren, with the upcoming bye providing an opportunity to freshen up before returning against Westbourne Grammarians.

Old Geelong 0.0 (0) def Caulfield 10.10 (70)

Caulfield Grammarians continued their strong run into finals, recording a comprehensive 70-point victory over Old Geelong.

The Grammarians controlled the contest from the opening bounce and kept the OGs scoreless for the entire afternoon.

Serena Kuo led the way in front of goal with three majors, while Hollie Brodribb and Matilda Mottram added two each. Mottram was among Caulfield’s best alongside Jacinta Baxter and Cheree Peters.

Caulfield coach Danielle Di Stefano was particularly pleased with the pressure her side applied from the opening bounce and its ability to restrict Old Geelong’s attack.

“I was really pleased with the pressure we brought from the first bounce, and our ability to limit their attack,” Di Stefano said.

With finals approaching, Di Stefano identified inside-50 conversion as an area for continued improvement after her side finished with 10.10.

“There is definitely a lot of excitement heading into finals. It’s a long season, we’ve worked hard to get here and hopefully we can put our best footy on show,” she said.

For the OGs, Juliet Grant, Sienna Koop and Natasha Furjanic were their best.

“I was pleased with our competitiveness. Our clearance and contest work. It was a great battle all day,” Old Geelong coach Jack Crameri said.

Crameri also acknowledged the challenge presented by the competition’s leading sides, saying there is “a bit of a class difference between the top two sides and the rest of the competition.”

West Brunswick 5.7 (37) def Old Brighton 1.5 (11)

West Brunswick kept their finals aspirations firmly alive with a 26-point win over Old Brighton.

Charlotte Gervasoni and Sophie Stewart kicked two goals each, while Taylah Watson, Victoria Holt and Gervasoni were among their best.

Watson made an immediate impact in her first game back after more than a month on the sidelines, while Holt led an impressive defensive performance.

West Brunswick coach Ryan Wandel was pleased with his side’s composure and drive in transition, as well as the improvement in its forward entries.

“Our forward entries were better, often going to our forward’s advantage. It is definitely something we can look to build on, it’s the most dynamic our forward line has looked all year,” Wandel said.

Wandel also praised the performances of Gervasoni and Claudia Piggott, while describing his sides entire backline, led by Holt, as brilliant.

For Old Brighton, Renee Saulitis kicked the side’s only goal, with Lily Tait, Molly Burke and Jasmine Tait among their best.

Old Brighton Coach Pat Malone was pleased with his side’s ability to continue competing but identified a lapse in concentration during the second quarter as an area for improvement.

“We allowed West Brunswick to dictate the terms of the game and became too reactive and static,” Malone said.

With the race for the remaining finals positions still tight, Malone urged his players to focus on their own performances rather than the results of their rivals.

“Our focus is on putting ourselves in the best possible position to finish the season strongly and continuing to lean into our connection and belief as a group.”

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Heading into Round 17, Old Brighton face Old Geelong, Westbourne Grammarians host St Kevin’s, West Brunswick do battle with Fitzroy, Kew have the week off, and Caulfield Grammarians host Old Scotch in a top-of-the-table clash.