Goals galore and gritty contests in Premier B Women’s opener

Round 1 of the Premier B Women’s competition was a rousing affair, featuring a mixed bag of dominant performances and closely contested battles. New game plans were on display, while debutants made their mark, setting the stage for an intriguing year ahead.

From Westbourne Grammarian’s statement victory over Coburg, to the nail-biting debut of Port Melbourne Chargers, each match brough its own unique storyline. Here is a closer look at how each of the opening matches unfolded.

To kick things off, Beaumaris travelled to Gerry Green Reserve bright and early, where they got their season off to a flying start with a commanding 15.17 (107) to 1.1 (7) victory over Parkdale Vultures.

Despite the best efforts of Parkdale’s Ellie Wilson, Sophie Goddard and Breanna Allen, the home side struggled to contain Beaumaris’ relentless attack, as the Sharks piled on hauls of 2, 5, 5 and 3 goals across each of the respective quarters.

It was a true team effort from Beaumaris, who shared the load with 11 individual goal scorers. Off the back of a strong debut season in 2024 that saw her nominated for the Anytime Fitness Rising Star award, Sunday Hollingsworth continues to develop as a star of the competition, earning the best on ground accolade.

The match, which marked the debut of Beaumaris’ new coach Sam Calogero, also saw both teams come together to honour Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones in a touching tribute.

It was a one-sided affair at Coburg City Oval, where Westbourne Grammarians dominated the play against Coburg from start to finish.

Westbourne came out of the gates firing, scoring 22 points to nothing in the first term, and they refused to slow down, with the final scoreboard reading 0.0 (0) – 19.10 (124).

On a day where their team failed to hit the scoreboard, Natalia Rebollo Sampedro and captain Tara Chetcuti did all they could to stem the flow.

Westbourne Grammarians Coach Chris Grant praised his team’s ability to move the ball into the forward line and maximise their opportunities. While all players contributed, Temeika Cathery and Kensley Ward were two of their most prolific, as they continuously found the big sticks to finish with respective bags of seven and eight majors.

Grant acknowledged Coburg’s ongoing development, suggesting that the scoreboard did not necessarily reflect the contest over each quarter.

Westbourne now look ahead to next week, where they will face a tougher challenge in Division 1 premiers Old Brighton.

Chris Grant: “I think we are going to learn a lot about our team over the first half of the season as we really don’t know the opposition due to such a new comp with many new teams. Some are very experienced compared to our very young squad, but the girls are really looking forward to the challenge.”

In their inaugural match, the Port Melbourne Chargers faced off against Old Melbournians in a thrilling battle that ended with the Omlettes narrowly edging out the Chargers 4.6 (30) to 4.3 (27).

Georgia Harris went straight into the history books when she booted the Chargers’ first ever goal early in the second term, with the Port Melbourne fans celebrating the milestone loudly and proudly.

Despite strong performances from Tanisha Clark and Maegan Harrison, the Chargers were unable to quell the late charge from the more experienced Omlettes, whose preseason work on skills and composure was evident.

Returning from long-term injuries, Ellen Williams and Stephanie Barnett both slotted back into the Old Melburnians lineup seamlessly, appearing in the bests for their side, while new recruits Olive Mclean and Bella Freeman also stood out. Freeman kicking goal of the day as determined by the VAFA commentary team, late in the fourth to secure the 4 points for OMs.

In a solid start to their season, St Bedes/Mentone Tigers recorded a convincing 6.8 (44) to 2.4 (16) victory over Marcellin.

The Tigers were led by an outstanding performance from Isabella Gietzmann, who kicked five goals, and was best on ground. Strong contributions also came from Brydie Steinfort and Belinda Ousley.

Zoe Glascott fought valiantly for Marcellin, scoring two majors and earning the best on accolade for her side, however the Sheagles still ultimately fell short.

Meg Fisher will be delighted to have started her coaching career with a win, while Marcellin will need to work hard to turn their glimpses of potential into a more consistent effort going forward.

Over at Basil Reserve, Old Brighton showed no signs of a premiership hangover, putting Old Xaverians to the sword to win by 50 points.

From the first bounce, Old Brighton brought immense pressure, setting the pattern for the day. Paired with their hard running and quick ball movement, Old Xaverians were unable to get the game back on their terms.

Chloe George and Lucy Grant were the leading goalkickers, finishing with two goals apiece. Old Brighton Coach Andrew Grant praised the leadership of India and Jasmine Tait, highlighting their strong performances.

On a tough day for Old Xaverians, Melissa Poulton and Emily Callinan never gave up, earning recognition from their coach as the best players on the day. Old Xaverians will look to use this experience against a quality opposition to fuel them going into the next round.