By David Nagel
Pakenham will look to put the ultimate exclamation mark on a roller-coaster seven-year journey when the Lions meet Healesville in the Outer East Women’s Division One grand final at Kilsyth on Sunday.
Since club stalwarts Nicole Muley and Amanda Sidebottom came up with the idea of having a women’s team prior to the 2018 season, the Lions have been climbing towards the top of the mountain.
Their first win came in round nine 2018, ending the season with a 3-11 record; before rapidly improving in 2019.
The Lions lost one game during the home-and-away season but lost the grand final to Karingal by 24 points that year.
A post-Covid move to Outer East in 2021 saw the Lions lose at the semi-final stage in ‘22, before an upset semi-final win over Upwey-Tecoma saw progression to last year’s title decider.
The Lions were outclassed by Olinda Ferny Creek, losing by 43 points; but a strong platform had been built by coach Rick Stalker.
Pakenham finished top of the ladder this year and earned a direct passage to the big dance with a 19-point victory over Healesville in the second semi-final.
This is a new-look Pakenham team this season.
Only one player, skipper Chloe Nagel, remains from Pakenham’s first game back on May 4, 2018, with current-teammate Bec Domotor playing three games that year.
None of the 12 players who debuted in 2019 remain, with only Bianca Moody, Emily Devine and Annalise Ryan still around from the 2021 list of inclusions.
Vice-captain Courtney Stephens, along with Sarah Connelly and Courtney Karayannis, joined the cause in 2022; leaving 20 of the current 28-player squad to join the team over the last two years.
Brianna Menere, Aliya Daniel, Tanya Stafford, Tiannah Vandesteeg, Pippa Simon and ruck Sarah Ventura were all recruited in 2023.
The Lions’ list has got massively stronger this year.
Aiesha Kolaritsch, Abbey McKenzie, Emily Johnston, Kate Green, Kayla Wilson and Rielle Menere played their first games for the club in round one, while Beth Quadara became the 100th Lions player with her initial outing in round two.
Exciting talents Matilda Argoon and Charli Jones have added to the playing list during the second half of the season, while Gippsland Power players Ava Deszcz, Abby Hobson, Ash Perkins, Jayda Tannahill and Bonnie Williams have added a touch of class as well.
Stalker openly jokes that he is good at only two things in life; driving trucks and bringing football teams together as a unit.
He has molded these Lions into a true team, and no stone has been left unturned as he looks to reap the rewards of his three-year journey at the footy club.
Kolaritsch leads the league goal-kicking with 46 majors for the season, while Deszcz, Hobson, Vandesteeg, Moody and Nagel are others who can do some serious damage up forward.
The battle between Ventura and Healesville ruck Paula Pavic will be pivotal to the final outcome, with both players aggressive at the contest and important figures around the ground.
Reigning league best and fairest winner Scarlett Potter, along with Paisley Stock, Ishka-Belle Stock and key-forward Danielle Carrucan are Healesville players to watch for Stalker and his coaching team.
This one should be a beauty, with both teams evenly matched across the ground.
But it’s the Lions’ time; with coach and captain to hold aloft the premiership cup after a nail-biting three-point victory.
In Division Two, Monbulk will test its fresh legs against Woori Yallock after the Tigers defeated Warburton-Wesburn in a tight preliminary final on Saturday.
The Burra started the better, leading by seven points at the first two change of ends, before goals to India James and Adele Ormsby gave the Tigers a six-point lead at the final break.
A goal to Emily Spicer appeared to make life comfortable for the Tigers, before a late goal to the Burra put things up for grabs with two minutes left on the clock.
The great play of Sky Wilson across half back saw the Tigers progress to the big dance with a 3.3(21) to 2.4(16) victory.
Both grand finals will be played at the Kilsyth Centre of Excellence; home of the Eastern Ranges, this Sunday.
The Division Two decider will take place between Monbulk and Woori Yallock at 10.30am before Pakenham and Healesville battle it out for the Division One premiership at 12.40pm.
