Women’s Development Squad Match Report – Round 3

SANFLW Development League
Round 3 West v Central

Coming into the third round against Central Districts, our squad had numerous changes to the side but were still determined to continue our successful start to the season.
Again, five players were given an opportunity moving up to the league side while we had eight changes overall with players coming from league, returning from injury and general rotations of the squad.

Tamika May and Serena Lienert were welcomed in for their first games for the season.

Ins: Georgie Pater, Sarah Campbell, Saraid Kustermann, Abbie Butler, Tamika May, Scarlett Griffiths, Astrid Powell, Serena Lienert.
Outs: Lily Johnson, Tiana Fernandez, Ella Summers, Kaylee Biddell, Georgie Gray, Mikaela Lappin, Renee Holmes, Alex Mason.

With it being the inaugural SANFLW Indigenous Round, our pre-game brought forward the acceptance of diversity within society and our football setting and the importance of respect, care and unity within our playing group.

The first quarter displayed some fast-moving football from both sides with us scoring early before Centrals responded later in the quarter to finish in front at quarter time.
QT: West 2.0 – 12 to Centrals 3.0 – 18

The second quarter was an even affair with both sides only managing a goal each and we went into half time trailing by 7 points
HT: West 3.0 – 18 to Central 4.1 – 25

As with the previous weeks, a number of skill errors and lapses in concentration allowed the opposition to maintain the lead. We made a few positional changes and just needed to tighten up in some key areas of defence and across the middle of the ground. Campbell and McNicol were winning plenty of football and Tamika May was providing us with a key forward option. Griffiths, Pater and Powell were also giving us some run and impacting around the ground. The third quarter was an arm wrestle with our defence holding strong as we held them goalless. Unfortunately, we were unable to score ourselves so went into the last quarter still unable to bridge the gap.
3QT: West 3.0 – 18 to Centrals 4.2 – 26

Trailing by 8 points we knew if we could just tidy up our skills and start finishing better by foot that we could again run over the opposition as we had done the week before. We left it until about the 10 minute mark of the last before we scored with Freeman kicking her second and then with 3 minutes to go Asha Dufour found some space to put us in front. We were able to hold on for the last few minutes to get the win and continue our successful run winning our first 3 games for the season.

Final scores: West 5.1 – 31 defeated Centrals 4.2 – 26

Best players: Campbell, Griffiths, McNicol, May, Kustermann, Pater
Goal Kickers: Freeman 2, Spence, Dufour, May 1