MELBOURNE Grammar remains the team to beat in the Herald Sun Shield Senior Girls Division after seeing off the challenge of Caulfield Grammar for the second successive year. On top early, Melbourne just kept Caulfield at arms-length, withstanding a late flurry in the third term to grind out a 29-point victory at ETU Stadium.

Sandringham Dragons representative Chloe Williams won best on ground, kicking a couple of crucial second term goals to blow the margin out to 13 points at the main break, then set up another major to Claudia Kogler in the third term.

Dragons midfielder Macy Watkins was a prime mover for Melbourne around the ball, while star AFLW Draft prospect Sophie McKay played, but was hampered by a corked thigh that was heavily strapped. The likes of Imogen Perrett – who tagged star Caulfield midfielder Bailee Martin – and Grace Perrett – were key to the victory.

McKay was not the only recognisable name in the match, with forward Edie McLachlan – another Dragon – the daughter of former AFL CEO Gil who was in attendance, kicking the first goal of the game after a huge clunk inside 50. Sienna Sharp was eye-catching around the ball before coming off hurt early in the third term after sliding for a mark.

Martin was simply incredible for Caulfield despite being tagged, winning a stack of the ball in all thirds of the ground and clunking several contested marks on the wing. She tried to almost drag her side back into the contest at times, with her skipper Zoe Samuel another consistent performer.

Katie Clark and Danielle Cerra also caught the eye for Caulfield Grammar, but it was the Martin show at times, with Melbourne fixated on trying to quell her influence both at the stoppages and when up forward, sometimes competing against multiple opponents.

The depth of Melbourne Grammar’s lineup ultimately proved the difference in the win, with Williams a deserved best on ground given her scoreboard impact through the middle two quarters, though Martin was very close for a player in a losing side.

MELBOURNE GRAMMAR 1.2 | 3.2 | 5.5 | 6.7 (43)
CAULFIELD GRAMMAR 0.0 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 2.2 (14)

GOALS:
Melbourne: C. Williams 2, E. McLachlan, H. Kogler, C. Kogler, M. Watkins
Caulfield: J. Conrad, G. Macris

RMC BEST:
Melbourne: C. Williams, H. Kogler, M. Watkins, I. Perrett, G. Perrett
Caulfield: B. Martin, Z. Samuel, K. Clark, D. Cerra, A. Herington

SCOUTING NOTES

MELBOURNE GRAMMAR

#3 Macy Watkins

Really stepped up through the middle and showed her learnings from playing in the role with Sandringham this year. She used the ball well, showed strength at the coalface and won a stack of the ball in transition. She even hit the scoreboard in the fourth quarter after marking just outside 50 and receiving an encroachment 50m penalty which iced the game. Throughout the four quarters was busy and applied consistent pressure too.

#5 Sophie McKay

Last year’s best on ground and clearly the best player when fully fit, McKay was hampered around the ground but still started at centre bounces before floating forward into space. While at her best McKay would have the ball on a string, she just showed it in patches, with a couple of running bounces along a wing, or quick flick handballs out of a stoppage. At one stage she won a centre clearance in the third term bursting from the middle and pinpointed a pass inside 50 with ease.

#11 Imogen Perrett

Had the job on quelling Martin around the stoppages and when the star opposition went forward, and did a decent job, Martin was still best on for Caulfield, but considering there was little space for her opponent to run, Perrett helped her teammates get their hands on the ball. Won a free kick out of opposition frustration for a push at a stoppage inside 50 but unfortunately could not quite convert the set shot from a tight angle.

#15 Harriet Koglar

An impressive player up forward, Koglar presented time and time agian on the lead, and worked up the ground to win it on the wing as well. She clunked a couple of big grabs, including one just inside 50 during the third term which saw her launching a ripping goal from 45m out. Has some eye-catching traits.

#21 Chloe Williams

Her second quarter was the stuff of legends, earning best on ground for breaking the game open and essentially giving her side the buffer it needed to go on with it. She clunked two contested marks in the term and converted both goals with relative ease, then set up a third goal to Claudia Kogler in the third term. Not only was she impactful inside 50, but worked up the ground to find the ball, and looked dangerous each time she went near it, showing great strength.

#22 Grace Perrett

Had an impact through the midfield and got her hands on the ball consistently, including nailing a pass inside 50 to Harriet Koglar. She had a brain fade when bumping an opponent late that resulted in a dowfield free and subsequent goal, but other than that, Perrett had plenty of nice moments across the course of the four quarters.

#53 Sienna Sharp

It was a shame the Sandringham Dragons tall went off injured as she had a massive influence up to that point. Though usually a forward at the Dragons, Sharp used her stronger frame on-ball and often won it out the back of the pack to thump the ball forward. She racked up numerous clearances and got the ball inside 50 to put pressure on the opposition defence and create scoring opportunities.

CAULFIELD GRAMMAR

#3 Zoe Samuel

It was a tough day out for her side, but Samuel showed fantastic leadership throughout the match, supporting her teammates and running ahrd around the ground. She kept trying to get her team back into the contest, and put her body on the line time and time again. Samuel also was not afraid to let Pereett know what she thought of the tagging job, flying the flag for her teammate on a couple of occasions.

#7 Aimee Herington

Was another Caulfield talent who had some moments in the game, with one kick in particular standing out. Under pressure going forawrd, Herington was able to weight a lovely kick inside 50 to Lily Wenk on the run, setting up a goalscoring opportunity that was unfortunately just missed.

#8 Bailee Martin

An incredible performance considering she was heavily guarded around stoppages and often facing multiple opponents. The Oakleigh Chargers bottom-ager looked every bit a match-winner and it was easy to see why Melbourne had focused heavily on the young gun. Still a double bottom-ager in terms of draft calculations, Martin clunked a couple of huge contested grabs over McKay on the wing in the third term, and whenever she was given an inch, she took a mile, bursting away from the stoppage and thumping it forward.

#31 Danielle Cerra

Had her moments through the match and showed some nice movement in traffic. At one stage, Cerra won it under pressure off the bounce and thought her way through sidestepping an opponent then getting the boot to ball between her and another opponent.