VFL Women's Round 8 2016 - VU Western Spurs v Diamond Creek
- Jun 12, 2016
- 2 min read
Diamond Creek have snapped a three-game losing streak with a 54-point demolition of VU Western Spurs at Henry Turner Memorial Reserve.
The Creekers were slight favourites going into the match after their renewed performance against Darebin but the vast improvement of the Spurs this season made the clash an eagerly anticipated one.
However, after the first ten minutes Diamond Creek had control of the contest. Last season’s Premier Division runners-up have had a slow start to the season frustrated by a catalogue of injuries. It has seemed that the Creekers would struggle to keep up with their rivals. So it was surprising to see their run and carry, intensity and disposal all gel in the second quarter as they blew the Spurs away in the first half with a six-goals-to-none burst to cruise to a 38 point lead.
Their dominance started out of the centre with another powerhouse performance from Al Downie, now stamping a name for herself as one of the best tap ruckmen in VFL Women’s. The Spurs were unable to answer the ferocious attack on the ball of Creekers’ midfielders Millie Barden and Shae Audley and the switching play of wingmen Lisa Williams and Lauren Brazzale but their biggest headaches were in defence.
After quarter time, it seemed the Creekers had a forward for any situation: a lead-up tall in Christina Bernardi, crumbers in Jess Cameron, Karly Cobern and debutant Kaitlyn Carlton and a one-on-one option deeper in Brittany Grech. This depth had the happy knock-on effect of upsetting their opponent’s structure as the Spurs rotated defenders with such regularity that they could never settle down to counter-attack.
The Spurs have come along leaps and bounds this season but a side half comprised of recruits from external sports is bound to have the occasional day where the plan comes unstuck. Their early attempts to bring physical presence to the centre by playing Alyssa Mifsud on the ball left their forward line lacking a reliable strong target while their defence was repeatedly caught behind. Key players Amy Harrison, Ash Guest and Bree White were repeatedly shuffled as Spurs’ coach Debbie Lee attempted to come up with a structure to stop the flood of the Creek. Key defenders Danni Teasdale and Lauren Senserrick fought valiantly all day but their rebound was repeatedly outmanoeuvred: Lauren Morecroft and Laura Corrigan acted as watchmen across the wing to repel their opponents again and again.
After struggling to get the pieces in place for the first two months of the season, Diamond Creek were in no mood to take the foot off the pedal when the Spurs tired in the last quarter. Just days after signing a contract with the Big Bash League side Melbourne Stars, Cameron finished with seven goals nailed from all angles.
Diamond Creek coach Tanya Hetherington lauded the cohesion of her forward line after the match.
“To have all the forwards playing so well and everyone playing a role, that was great. Also, the forward pressure was
something we really talked about afterwards.”
Her side’s big test now comes this Sunday as they face the fourth placed Eastern Devils at CT Barling Reserve from 2pm in a clash that traditionalists would refer to as an “eight-pointer”. The Spurs face fellow up and comers Seaford at Frankston Oval.
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