THE VFL Women’s competition returned over the weekend, with plenty of interesting results to kick off the season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the game of the round, Essendon and Box Hill played out a thrilling draw out at The Hangar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a match full of momentum swings, the teams ultimately could not be split at the final whistle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Hawks were quick out of the middle as debutant Annie Muir<\/a> busted her way through multiple packs, but unfortunately for the Hawks they were unable to convert it into an inside 50.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Bombers did eventually register the first inside 50, and after intercepting a wayward handball Maddi Wilson<\/a> scored the first goal of the match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Box Hill then responded with a goal of its own minutes later through club debutant Madeleine Boyd<\/a>, and a tight contest was on the cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the play very end to end and both defences holding up really strongly, scoring was at a premium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the first term drew to a close, the scores were dead even.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Box Hill again blitzed out of the middle and could have had the first goal of the second term inside the first 30 seconds, but the subsequent shot went wide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However it took about seven minutes of the quarter for either side to get a major, and it was Essendon off the boot of Zoe Hurrell<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Caitlin Sargent<\/a> then kicked truly and Essendon finally had a bit of a buffer to its name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Box Hill then had several chances to respond with a major, but all shots either dropped short or went wide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ultimately the margin sat at 11 points at the main break, but it really was still anyone\u2019s game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Box Hill again got the first clearance in the third term, but again could not make it count when the shot at goal dropped short and the Bombers rebounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the Bombers were only able to make it to the wing before the Hawks intercepted, returned the ball inside their attacking 50 for multiple minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The only problem for the Hawks was no matter how hard they peppered the goals, they just could not get a major on the board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although Essendon had a few forays into attack, most of the attacking play was done by the brown and gold despite not being able to put a major on the board. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Just as it was looking like the third quarter was going to be completely goalless, Boyd popped up with her second for the Hawks and suddenly the margin was a single point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Boyd\u2019s goal was to be the last score of the quarter, so as the teams turned for home, it truly was anyone\u2019s game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each side opened their scoring in the final term with a behind, but finally a goal came eight minutes in off the boot of Renee Tierney<\/a> to give the Bombers a little bit more breathing space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To rub salt into the wounds for the Hawks Aine McDonagh<\/a> then went down and had to be helped from the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Hawks then rallied and when Boyd kicked her third major of the afternoon, the margin was back to one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A Mietta Kendall<\/a> miss saw scores level with six minutes to go and plenty of time for either side to nab the win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the minutes ticked down and the final siren drew closer, the atmosphere amongst the fans sitting on the hill at the Hangar intensified, as an impending feeling of a draw began to emerge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The seconds continued to tick down and both sides ran out of time to score even a behind, so had to settle for a draw.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The major ball winners for both sides included the Jordan Mifsud<\/a> <\/strong>(21 touches), Nicole Garner<\/a> <\/strong>(20 touches), <\/strong>Courtney Ugle<\/a> <\/strong>(18 disposals) and Tierney (18 disposals).<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite the Saints\u2019 inaccuracy, they were far too strong for the Falcons, with the Saints\u2019 speed out of defence and the inability of the Falcons to take a mark inside 50 really hurting the Falcons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jemima Wrigley<\/a>, Charlotte Ryan<\/a> and Margaret Kershaw<\/a> all got their hands on the ball plenty of times for the Saints, while Ange Gogos<\/a> was everywhere for the Falcons and Simone Ruedin<\/a> was really strong in defence for the home side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alyssa Mifsud<\/a> was the only multiple goal kicker on the ground, with all of the Saints goals coming from single goal kickers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The margin was only four points at the final change, but the Bulldogs stopped scoring and Casey did not, hence the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Casey\u2019s top scorer came from an unlikely source, with Irish star Sinead Goldrick<\/a> popping up to score two majors. Meanwhile for the Bulldogs Mali McLeod<\/a> booted three goals for her side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The major ball winners for both sides included Shelley Heath<\/a> (23 disposals), Goldrick (21 touches), Tahlia Meier<\/a> (28 disposals) and Sarah Skinner<\/a> (23 disposals).<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n A three goal to none first quarter set the tone for the match, and despite both having a goalless quarter each during the match, Port\u2019s attacking chances were restricted more, allowing the home side to take the win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Four of the top five ball winners on the ground were Blues, namely Christina Bernardi<\/a>, Amelia Klingbeil<\/a>, Madeleine Di Cosmo<\/a> and Paige Trudgeon<\/a>, while the lone Port player in the top five was Olivia Barton<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n After a low scoring first half, North ultimately lead at every break to come home with the win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Four of the top five ball winners on the ground were Roos, including the likes of Marianna Anthony<\/a> and Annabel Scott<\/a>, while Poppy Schaap<\/a> was the key ball winner for the Cats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile Felicity Theodore<\/a> and Charlotte Simpson<\/a> each kicked a pair of majors for their side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Williamstown capitalised on the wind early and jumped out to an early lead, before the Magpies reeled them back in and went on to win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n New Pie Jessica Bates<\/a> topped the disposals tally for her side with 25, while Sharnie Whiting<\/a> did the same for the Seagulls with a round high 31 touches.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn other results:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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