VFL Women's Round 12 2016 - Knox Falcons v Geelong Magpies
- Jul 10, 2016
- 3 min read
Knox have claimed their first victory in VFL Women’s with a magnificent performance over Geelong.
The Falcons booted the first four goals of the game and then spent three quarters backing themselves to win as the Magpies fought tooth-and-nail. The Magpies cut the lead to just four points in the final minute but with one last stand the battle-scarred Knox sealed the deal 7.9 to 7.5.
Geelong began the match in their typical dog-fighting style but it spectacularly backfired. Less than a minute in, Knox captain Mel Kuys was felled by a textbook hip-and-shoulder by her Geelong counterpart Jaime Woollett and came off the ground. Kuys bobbed up in the forward line and snapped a terrific goal to put her side on the board then took a strong contested mark to kick her second. Inspired by their captain’s example, Knox’s midfielders moved the ball forward with speed and precision as young Falcons Emily Bof and Sarah Farmer starred.
Geelong did not help themselves with some very poor discipline. Knox received five downfield free kicks and a double 25 metre penalty gifted Kuys her third goal. The more experienced Magpies went into the first break 24 points in arrears and – unexpectedly – in trouble.
Geelong awoke in the second quarter and erased Knox’s lead in a burst of champagne football. Lightly-framed youngster Lily Mithen and the formidable Richelle Cranston combined to dominate the clearances as the Magpies played hard-running, linking football. Although the ruck contest between Geelong star Maddie Boyd and Falcon pair Jamie Head and Brielle Koludrovic was evenly fought, Boyd’s speed and strong marking were turning the contest. Geelong look to have discovered a long term key forward in the smart Michelle Fedele. When Cheryl de Groot threated a superb goal from the boundary, Geelong had narrowed the half time margin to one point against a side well out of practice when it comes to defending leads.
Knox dug deep to reverse the trend of the match, steadily regaining control of play but receiving no favours from the Geelong defence. Laura Williams, Melanie McNamara and Madisen Maguire were cool and effective while Riley Shapter, Madison Janssen and Cranston’s attack on the ball continued unabated in the second half.
All this made Knox’s renaissance just that more impressive. Kuys was pushed into the midfield and began to dictate terms in the clearances before reclaiming her side’s lost lead with a glorious long goal. Gradually the Falcons were able to shut out Geelong’s playmakers. Siobhan Mooren converted an equally impressive major to push the margin out to 11 at three quarter time.
Knox’s biggest challenge in the final quarter was not Geelong but their own nerve: a side accustomed to heavy defeats suddenly had to hold a lead. Forward Cassandra Papadopoulos kicked the all-important first to extend their break to 18 - this fired the Magpies into action. Mithen and Boyd were frenetic as Geelong seized the run of play and began to pepper the goals, with Cheryl de Groot snapping her second to cut the lead back to 12. The Falcons once again held off their more experienced opponents: Jasmin Harrison, Dana de Bondt and Emily McIlvena saved their best performances for the last quarter as the clock ticked past twenty-four minutes with that two goal margin still intact.
But this match had one last twist in its tail: a disastrous Knox kick-in went straight to Fedele, who calmly marked, played on and converted to put Geelong within a goal. Knox made one last sustained effort and the siren went with the ball pinned to Kuys, completing one of 2016’s finest individual performances in VFL Women’s – and team performances, for that matter.
“Couldn’t have done it any better,” declared Knox coach Clint Martin. “At three quarter time I wanted them to keep attacking and keep that composure.”
After a hellish baptism to VFL Women’s, Sunday marked the day the fledgling Falcons took flight.
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