Yarraville-Seddon may have fallen short in its first Western Football League women’s grand final, but walk away proud.
The Eagles hadn’t played finals before this season but showed they belong with the best of the competition in the last month of the season.
After knocking off Werribee Centrals and the Parkside Spurs, the Eagles faced an undefeated Caroline Springs in Saturday’s grand final.
The Eagles were the underdogs again but made the Lakers work hard for every ball.
After coming from 23 points down at the half time, there was just a goal in the game early in the last quarter.
The Lakers’ experience and composure showed in the dying minutes as they did enough to win their second premiership, 0.8 (68)-8.3 (51) win.
Lakers acting coach Emma Steel couldn’t have been prouder of the playing group.
She said Caroline Springs set the standard all year and in the grand final it was no different.
“I’m incredibly proud,” she said. “Just for us to make it this far from where we finished, absolutely incredible.
“Then today [Saturday] what we put out on the park was sensational. Unfortunately we had a few injuries and we’ll be looking after them.
“I think it was just a phenomenal effort from everyone who took the field.”
The Lakers led by a goal at quarter time before it seemed like they would run away with the game in the second quarter.
The margin increased to 23 points at the main break. The Eagles didn’t give up and gave themselves some hope with the only goal of the third quarter.
They were up and about when they got the first two of the final quarter.
Steel said with a couple of injuries their rotations had been slowed and the Lakers made the most of it.
“It took some run off the ball and it did slow us a bit, I can’t fault the effort.”
Phoebe McWilliams kicked three goals for the Eagles, while Armani Mauriohooho kicked two goals.
Akec Makur Chuot, Ruby Jones and McWilliams were named the Eagles best.
Caroline Springs’ Akima Manoah was awarded the best on ground medal.
Steel said the performance in the grand final had shown how far they’ve come.
She said they could have never imagined a performance like that in a grand final. She said the way they had come together was incredible and no would have been expecting to play in a grand final.
“We’ve come together at the right time,” they said. “There was no way we were putting out performances like this together, even four, five weeks ago.
“We always believed that it was possible … We’ve shown what we can do, that we are good enough.
“Then this, a real whole team performance and everyone has been able to manage their game at the right time.
“Unfortunately it wasn’t enough, I’m sure we’ll be back next year.”
