VFL Women's Round 12 2016 - Diamond Creek v Melbourne Uni
- Jul 10, 2016
- 2 min read
Diamond Creek’s finals chances have taken a massive blow after a 96-point loss to the second placed Melbourne Uni Mugars at Preston City Oval.
Injuries had taken their toll on the Creekers, who went into the match with just twenty-one players, but Melbourne Uni were in no mood to show mercy. From beginning to end, the Mugars had complete control over almost every facet of the game and triumphed 15.13 to 1.1.
Conditions were slippery and muddy for star Creeker forward Britt Grech’s 150th game, which gave the bigger-bodied Melbourne Uni midfield an edge. It didn’t take long before the first quarter became one-way traffic: Mugar captain Ellie Blackburn was simply indomitable in the clearances and delivered to a well-organised forward line. Louise Stephenson and Jess Anderson were too quick off the mark and proved a potent combination. Poor disposal out of the backline didn’t help Diamond Creek, who went to quarter time 27 points adrift.
The Preston City Oval crowd, many of them awaiting the subsequent VFL clash between Northern Blues and Geelong, were treated to an extraordinary twenty-five minutes of football in the second quarter as Diamond Creek tirelessly attacked the contests and executed some fantastic tackling. Lauren Morecroft, Lauren Brazzale and Millie Barden were brought into the stoppages and turned the tide in the clearances. However, the midweek loss of their best midfielder Shae Audley proved yet another blow to an already injury-hit attack as the Creekers couldn’t push forward. The gap at the main break was eight goals.
Diamond Creek’s last hope of a massive comeback was neatly snuffed out when Anderson goaled less than a minute into the third quarter. The Mugars’ run tore through the Creekers’ defence as the three quarter time margin blew out to 69 points. The makeshift Creekers’ line-up began to tire in the last quarter and Anderson took full advantage, pushing into space Inside 50 to finish with five goals. Diamond Creek defenders Laura Attard and Shazi Cappello, whose VFL game is becoming increasingly cohesive, fought hard until the end.
From full-forward to full-back, first siren to final, Melbourne Uni did not have a weak link in what was perhaps their most complete performance of the season.
Diamond Creek never wanted for intensity in their attack on the ball and harboured several individual stand-outs: Al Downie was the indisputable victor of her ruck contest with Catherine O’Bryan, which arguably settles the debate over who is the best ruckman in VFL Women’s. Stephanie Chiocci ran herself into the ground to pull her side forward while Kaitlin Smith lowered the colours of normally irrepressible Melbourne Uni winger Kaitlyn Ashmore. Nonetheless, the loss widens the percentage gap between them and the fourth placed Eastern Devils.
Diamond Creek will play the Knox Falcons at Schultz Reserve next Sunday from 2pm.
Comments