Purple Army ambushed by swooping Magpies

Round 13 saw the race for finals tighten up, with crucial games going the way of Caulfield Grammarians and West Brunswick, while three teams were held to a goal or less in another weekend of wintery conditions.

Caulfield Grammarians have claimed a spot in the top four, after a comprehensive victory over Old Yarra Cobras.

Kylie Lynch was first to get on the board, soccering through a goal to get Caulfield Grammarians the early lead, however, Amber Sciacca responded for the Cobras by converting truly from a free kick. Tensions were rising at Glen Huntly Park when a goal after the siren to Cecilia Baldassarre earnt the Cobras a 2-point lead going into the first break.

Unfortunately for the Cobras, that would turn out to be their last score of the day, as a relentless Grammarians side went on to flex their muscles for the remainder of the game, kicking 21, 17 and 13 points in the following quarters to record a 49-point win at the final siren.

Coach Danielle Distefano would be incredibly proud of her side’s whole team performance, with 8 individual goal scorers getting the job done in Dani’s 50^th game as a coach. Isobel Hartog was rewarded best on for her exceptional job on the wing, with intercept queen Georgia Foran following closely behind.

In a game where the Cobras found it hard to get the ball in their forward 50, Amber Sciacca, Clare Moody and Hannah Fosbrooke fought tirelessly to deter Caulfield’s attack.

At Victoria Park, Kew carved out a percentage-boosting win against Coburg, defeating the Lions by 38 points.

Kew set themselves up for the day with a dominant first quarter, bringing intensity from the first bounce which saw a goal to Eloise Burdett-Moore within the first minute of play. In a brilliant display of forward craft, Amelia Dawborn kicked the next three goals to extend the Bears’ lead out to 27 points by the first break.

Coburg returned from the break with a newfound focus, tightening up defensively whilst producing scoring opportunities of their own. Nonetheless, accuracy was an issue for the Lions who notched just 5 behinds for the day, whereas Kew’s superior efficiency allowed them to add another 16 points to their final score.

Dawborn played a pivotal part in Kew’s victory, while Jade Hillas played her best game of the season to date. For Coburg, Chloe Perrett and Ella Tyson were significant contributors, not allowing the game to blow out in the second half.

The rain may have been pouring down at Righetti Oval, but nothing was able to dampen the spirits of ladder leaders, St Kevin’s, as they went on to beat Monash Blues by 39 points.

It took St Kevin’s less than a minute to get on the board, with Hannah Smith snapping the first goal of the game to get the Saints off to the perfect start.

St Kevin’s were able to extend their lead at every break, with the final score reading 6.9 (45) to 1.0 (6). Monash’s one goal was kicked by 2023 Premier B Best & Fairest winner, Ainslee Elliott, who was left unattended at a forward-50 stoppage for the Blues.

In her 100^th game for Monash, Sarah Jade Rose was deemed best on for the Blues, while Saints Captain Bree Doyle led her team in exemplary fashion, kicking her fourth career goal to put the icing on the cake.

Melbourne University had no answer for Old Scotch when the two sides met at Camberwell Sportsground.

Melbourne University found themselves unable to curtail the influence of key performers such as Nadia von Bertouch, Zoe Carter and Mia Caffry, as Old Scotch went on to extend their lead at every break, whilst also holding the Mugars scoreless.

Millie Fraser-Smith, Eloise Defina and Anna Vrsecky contributed two majors each to their team’s 55-point triumph, with Defina’s contribution taking her back to the top of the league goal-kicking tally on a season total of 21.

A positive for Melbourne University was the performance of VFLW premiership player Georgia Alomes, who has recently returned from a foot injury and whose efforts in the ruck did not go unnoticed.

All eyes were on Ian Johnson Oval for the final match of the round between Collegians and West Brunswick, with the result holding the potential to shake up the ladder standings.

Emily Sainty took the ball out of the ruck to kick the first goal of the day and earn Collegians the early lead, however, West Brunswick were quick to respond through Sophie Stewart, taking a one-point lead into the first break.

West Brunswick took control in the second term but struggled to find a major, peppering away with behinds, until Stewart slotted through a textbook set shot right before the half time siren sounded.

The second half was hotly contested, as both sides displayed brilliant passages of play but struggled to make a dent on the scoreboard. With goals few and far between, it was enough to seal the game when Kristy de Pellegrini soccered a goal through in the final quarter to earn West Brunswick a 13-point win.

The result opens the door on the top four, with Caulfield, Collegians and West Brunswick all vying for the fourth spot – Collegians have dropped to fifth place, with West Brunswick only trailing on percentage.

While every West Brunswick player stepped up in the crucial match up, there were a few players who require special mention.

Sophie Stewart’s hunger for the football and desperation to get her side over the line was palpable, causing headaches for Collegians’ defenders all day as she played a part in almost all West Brunswick’s scoring opportunities.

Star midfielder Taylah Watson was also at her best, while Darebin VFLW co-captain Caitlin Bunker was a welcome addition to the line-up, bringing an extra level of experience and skill.