By JARROD POTTER
VFL WOMEN’S – ROUND 2
WHEN you say Seaford spray, you’d expect it to come from the beach and not the goal kicking as the hosts left the door ajar for Cranbourne’s first VFL victory.
In a last term both sides would probably love to forget, Seaford booted two-goals-nine to Cranbourne’s solitary major as the visitors triumphantly claimed the 8.8 (56) to 6.17 (53) victory.
Hayley Wildes and Marlee Tatham booted the Eagles comfortably ahead in the final term and from there, according to Cranbourne coach Kris Smith, it seemed as if the Tigerettes had given up.
“It was really odd – about 10 minutes to go in the last term we were about 20 points up and seemed like Seaford stopped,” Smith said. “But they got a second wind and we misread it completely and came storming home – and it’s normally us doing that – so it was weird to see that coming to us.”
Cranbourne had to hold on against the last-ditch Seaford surge as the visitors rushed behinds to weather the worst of the storm in the dying minutes.
The victory was set up much earlier in the clash as Cranbourne’s third term impressed as the trademark run-and-carry across the wings started to pay off.
AFL-listed Danielle Hardiman impressed from her defensive post – with the coach labelling her mark-laden performance as one of the best afield – but across the board he couldn’t fault the side’s endeavour.
The usual suspects Bianca Jakobsson, Hayley Wildes and Tess McEvoy streamed across the centre while Courtney Clarkson provided a big target up forward for the Eagles as she continues her rise back to her best footy after some time out of the game.
Across all lines the side impressed, but the finishing in front of goals and around the forward arc needs improvement as the side couldn’t get the job done from 25 metres out.
“We had a lot of contributors across the board – even Steph Binder down at full back was good,” Smith said. “Half forward line was good and mids were good, defensively we were good across the board.
“Just in front of the goals we stood around, missed a handball and it’s that fine tuning we have to do, but we’re not going to worry as it’s only round two.”
Cranbourne will unfurl the 2015 VWFL Division 1 premiership flag this week as it finally heads home to face Melbourne Uni on Sunday as all the senior Eagles sides will play at Casey Fields.
“The (Cranbourne) guys are playing on oval two and we’re down on oval 3 and our div 2 side starts this week before us as well,” Smith said. “Big day for the club to have everyone down there playing on the one day and getting to hang the flag from the flag pole will be nice.”
VFL SCOREBOARD
SEAFORD 2.3 4.5 4.8 6.17 (53)
CRANBOURNE 2.1 5.5 7.8 8.8 (56)
SEAFORD Goals: C. Bury 2, S. Hosking, K. Gillespie-Jones, J. Hosking, L. Bonnet. Best: J. Hosking, S. Hosking, J. Boyd, C. Bury, J. Eberle, K. Thompson.
CRANBOURNE Goals: H. Wildes 2, M. Tatham 2, K. McLeod, B. Wilder, B. Jakobsson, C. Clarkson. Best: D. Hardiman, B. Jakobsson, H. Wildes, A. Fennell, C. Clarkson, T. McEvoy.
