By Lance Jenkinson
Footscray will head to the Hockey Victoria women’s premier league finals asking the question, ‘why not us?’.
Entrenched in the top eight with one round to go, the young Bulldogs team is an impatient one that wants to deliver a premiership now.
Bulldogs defender Carly James said the team is pushing towards one goal this season.
“Everyone is there trying to get our club a premiership,” she said. “The club has been waiting a long time for it, so hopefully we can bring one home.”
Footscray has been on the upper rungs of the ladder for most of the season.
Recently, the Bulldogs have hit a flat patch, but they will get a huge boost with Hockeyroo Lily Brazel returning for the finals.
James is excited by the growth that has taken place in a Bulldogs team that is still raw and would be considered before its time if it does go on to win the premiership.
“I think there’s a lot of potential because there’s so much improvement that can happen each week from each player,” she said.
“We’re all working hard each week to keep improving and we’re only getting better.”
Demonstrating how young Footscray’s line-up is, you only need to look at the fresh faces on the backline.
James is the oldest player in the defence at 20 with the rest being teenagers.
“There’s a couple of players pushing up around 23 or 24 in the midfield, but I’m the oldest at 20 in our backline,” she said.
“We have an 18-year-old, two 17-year-olds and a 16-year-old, so it’s a young backline, but we all work together to improve each other.”
The Bulldogs are giving themselves a chance of September success by following the instructions of coach Lachie Anderson to a tee.
Anderson has been a stable figure for the young Bulldogs to learn from.
“His message is getting across because we’ve had a very consistent team for the past couple of years,” James said.
“We’re playing the way Lachie wants us to play and it’s really helping us step up the ladder.
“We’re wanting to be in the top four and giving it a good push in the finals.”
To give themselves the best shot, Footscray will need to finish in the top four, which comes with the benefit of a double chance.
The Bulldogs will face KBH Brumbies away at Elgar Park in the final home-and-away game on Saturday with a top four spot on the line.
