Tara Murray
Two and half years of hard work was rewarded as Footscray completed the perfect season in the Women’s State League lacrosse competition.
After only playing about six games in two years due to COVID-19, Footscray was on a mission this year.
It would get the ultimate reward with a premiership.
Coach Meghan Mollison said the group was keen to show what they could do after the last couple of years.
“We won it in 2019 when my uncle was coaching,” she said. “I took over and hadn’t had a full season to see the potential we had and back up what we had done in 2019.
“We had six rounds last season, but lots of training before that. The year before we got a pre-season that was it.
“It was nice after a couple of years to show what we could do. Being undefeated was good, but the premiership was great.”
The group changed since the last full season, with some players returning from America where they had been at college.
A number of players also stopped playing as they had children.
“The girls coming back from college had a good opportunity to show what they had learned in the states,” Mollison said.
“With others having babies last year we were able to bring through some younger players.
“We had three under-18s play their first state league games, while another who aged out over the COVID-19 period also played her first state league game.
“They probably wouldn’t have got the opportunity to play as much as they have.”
Mollison said they started the season slowly as they reconnected on the field. It wasn’t until the last round when they were really tested, as they beat Newport Ladies by just one goal.
The game was also soured by a serious knee injury to captain Esther Lavelle which would rule her out for the season.
Mollison said Lavelle was a really good support on the bench in the finals especially for the younger girls.
She said they used the break between the season and the grand final to restructure and change some things around for finals.
It worked with Footscray beating Newport Ladies, 15-2 in the grand final.
“We had a big win,” she said. “:We usually have exceptionally close clashes in grand finals.
“We’ve played 10 grand finals against them. They had a couple of players out, but they had a really strong team.
“We played really well.”
While the season may be over four players from the grand final team are currently with the Australia team.
Another three players, who have been at college in America, are also part of the Australian team giving the club seven representatives in the one team.
Mollison said they were proud of the group.
“They are taking on the world,” she said. “They include the young girls and share their knowledge and wonderful role models.”
