GRAND FINAL PREVIEW AND PREDICTION: Women’s Division Three
Written by Michael Shillito
Women’s Division Three Grand Final
Holroyd – Parramatta vs. St George – Sunday, 15 September at 9.00am at Blacktown ISP Oval 1
Sunday will be the last day of the AFL Sydney season; with four Grand Finals to be played at Blacktown. First up is the Womens Division Three, where Holroyd-Parramatta Goannas will be taking on St George Dragons.
The Goannas first took the plunge into womens’ footy last year, and took out the Division Two title. So strong has been the growth in numbers that they fielded a second team this year. The Dragons are also new to womens’ footy, with this being their debut season.
Both sides have many players who had never played the game before this season; and it’s been a remarkable achievement to have made it through to the Grand Final so quickly.
The Goannas have been the form team in this competition, and finished the regular season as minor premiers; winning 13 of their 15 games with a percentage of 296.73%. After a week off in the first week of the finals, they defeated Southern Power in the Major Semi-Final by 15 points; earning themselves another week off before the Grand Final. They’ll be rested and fresh, and have had the opportunity to get over any niggling injuries ahead of this match.
The Goannas have spread the goal-kicking responsibilities around this season, and no one individual has stood out up forward. Michala Ford leads the goal-kicking, with 18 goals for the season; while Tamara Kennedy has scored 10 and Rebecca O’Brien eight. Having multiple avenues to goal will keep the Dragon defenders on their toes, as there are many players they need to keep quiet.
Brianna Keogh has been a star contributor around the ground, featuring in the best player list nine times this season. Stevie-Lee Foster has appeared eight times; while Isabella Mansour and Machala Ford appear six times each. The Goannas will again be looking to them to step up and accumulate possessions around the ground to get the job done.
The Dragons have had to do it the hard way, coming up from the Elimination Final after finishing fifth after the home and away season. The regular season saw them win 9 of 16 games, with a percentage of 161.86%. But they have done well at the business end of the year, following up a 43-point win over UTS in the Elimination final with a 52-point win against Manly in the Minor Semi-Final and then defeating Southern Power by 26 points in the Preliminary Final last week.
When it comes to getting a winning score on the board, Scarlett Wynn has led the way with 19 goals, ahead of Louise Grady with 18; with Jessica Bevan and Louise Hoban each contributing 10. Importantly for the Dragons, three of those four have kicked their biggest bag for the year during the finals; showing they are in strong form and have momentum on their side.
There’s no shortage of winners around the ground. Maddison Hatswell and Georgia Prestwidge have both featured in the best player list 10 times; while Hannah Ascoli has been listed nine times. These consistent performers will need to step up again in this, the biggest challenge of the season, for the Dragons to get over the line.
The two sides have played off twice this season, with the Goannas taking the points on both occasions. In round 7 at Mona Park, the home side got the job done by 42 points; and followed it up in round 16, a much closer game in which the Goannas prevailed by seven points.
There’s plenty of unknowns here for both sides. Few of them have ever played a footy Grand Final before, and it’s a whole new experience. But the Goannas look to have the edge, having been the standout team all season; and that should be enough for them to get the job done this time.
Prediction – Holroyd-Parramatta by 22 points.
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