By JARROD POTTER
VWFL SOUTH EAST – ROUND 1
AGAINST the odds Beaconsfield surprised Hallam to capture its maiden Victorian Women’s Football League triumph on debut.
The VWFL South East club has struggled for numbers this pre-season, trying to get the women’s side up and going, but on Sunday everything clicked into place as the 15-woman squad still managed to knock off the full-strength Hallam 17.11 (113) to 5.4 (34).
With unavailable players and a clash between the senior side and the Youth Girls’ team, nothing lined up in the Eagles’ favour.
They had to do it the hard way – tenaciously attacking the footy and outrunning the Hawks all afternoon despite the disparity on field.
Beaconsfield’s inaugural captain Jade Hough – better known in local circles as a champion baseball player – was immense through the midfield, getting first touch off the taps from Georgia Anderson and setting up countless forward-50 entries.
Courtney Robinson booted the first goal in the club’s senior women’s history – finding herself free at the base of the pack and snapping the club’s inaugural six-pointer.
Soon after Hough, Katie Angelis and Beaconsfield soared on VWFL debut as the strategies and personnel from the retired Youth Girls players – like Anderson, Angelis, Robinson, Amy Barnes among others – showed the way for the in-coming debutants.
Taking a 7.9 (51) to 3.2 (20) lead into the second half the Eagles persevered despite fatigue setting in for the bench-less group.
Anderson was concussed in the final term as well, making life even harder for the newly formed outfit, But the second half was business as usual as Beaconsfield booted another 10 goals to finish up 79 point victors and sing the first, of hopefully many, stirring renditions of the club theme.
Leading from the front, Hough was thrilled to see the side take the inaugural victory and guide the young Eagles through the season.
“It was awesome – it’s a very young group of girls and that’s probably the most exciting thing,” Hough said. “As the scoreboard reflects, we got off to a very good start – we gelled together really well and seemed like we’d been playing together for years as a group.
“Being, quite possibly, the oldest that there’s such a young group – late teens, early 20s – and the skill-level on the girls who have come through the Youth program is really good.
“That’s the most exciting thing – leading them out and being that mentor to those younger girls.”
Hough said Katie Angelis,who terrorised the Hawks’ defenders as she jagged a few goals and starred throughout the forward half, ruck Georgia Anderson and Sophie Dickson were best afield for the Eagles.
Hough and the Eagles will feature in their first home game on Saturday, playing at noon on Holm Park Reserve 2 as part of Beaconsfield Football Club’s Anzac Day memorial.
“It’s going to be a great day – being Anzac Day weekend – and it’s a big day at the club and we’ve got a lot of support from the men’s teams and the committee as well, which is fantastic to see,” Hough said.
“Really looking forward to that day – will be a cracker at the club.”
The Eagles wore black armbands in honour of Cayleb Hough.
For more information on joining Beaconsfield Women’s Football Club, contact coach Troy Robinson on 0423 072 666 or email secretary@beaconsfieldfc.com.
VWFL SOUTH EAST SCOREBOARD
BEACONSFIELD 4.5, 7.9, 13.10, 17.11 (113)
HALLAM 3.1, 3.2, 4.2, 5.4 (34)
Beaconsfield goals: K. Richardson 5, K. Angelis 3, S. Dickson 3, C. Robinson 2, J. Hough 2, G. Anderson 1, A. Barnes 1, B. Partington 1.
Best: J. Hough, A. Hamilton, K. Angelis, S. Hamilton, M. Shone, S. Dickson.
