By JARROD POTTER
SEVEN WEEKS ago football was the furthest thing from Karly Tapner’s mind.
Tapner, 17, from Cranbourne North, had been hit by a car on 11 July and was hospitalised with a significantly damaged knee and the worst was suspected.
She’d all but hung up the boots as a Youth Girls’ footballer following the accident – with only a slight possibility of her returning to the Eagles ahead of the finals.
“Not really – a few weeks before the finals I kind of spoke to the girls and said I wouldn’t play for the rest of the year,” Tapner said.
“To come back and play the last two finals is good especially to get the win.”
The damage to her knee wasn’t as bad as first expected, allowing Tapner to train and gradually get back into the Eagles’ ranks – getting back for the South East Juniors’ Youth Girls’ semi-final.
She made it through unscathed – despite extra strapping needed around her knee – and helped Beaconsfield book its second grand-final berth in its three-only-year existence.
Tapner got to instead hang up the boots on her Youth Girls’ career on her own emphatic terms – securing back-to-back premierships at Beaconsfield.
Having represented Australia and Victoria in Youth Girls’ football, Tapner was an important addition to Beaconsfield’s line-up heading into finals and she made her mark on the grand final – streaming up the wing and slotting a pair of goals to push the margin beyond Cranbourne’s reach.
“When you’ve got a good team and they continuously put in the good effort, you know that you’re going to back up into finals and know you’ve got your team behind you and they’ll support you through it all,” Tapner said.
“It’s great – it’s a good feeling, especially with the coaching staff we have – Troy, Matty G. and Ell helping out – it’s good to have the support we do from the league and the club.”
Tapner is one of four Beaconsfield players to finish up in Youth Girls – with Karlee Dale, Catherine Yasin and Bobbi Pollard also signing off their junior days with a premiership.
