Undefeated Falcons into TAC Cup Girls’ grand final
GEELONG Falcons coach Jason Armistead is confident his players will not lose focus after they snared a spot in this year’s TAC Cup Girls’ grand final on Saturday.
The Falcons continued their undefeated season, withstanding a spirited Northern Knights fightback in the third quarter before running out nine-point winners at Anthony Costa Oval.
Ever-reliable performances from Lucy McEvoy and Olivia Purcell again spearheaded the Falcons’ performance, while Zoe Inei was monstrous in the ruck.
Denby Taylor also played one of her best games of the season.
The victory locks Geelong into the TAC Cup’s top two heading into the final round of the season, and if they win next weekend against Western Jets, they will also claim the minor premiership.
Armistead said his playing group would take nothing for granted after a perfect season so far.
“It was a pretty high-quality game. To get challenged during the third quarter and respond the way we did was awesome,” Armistead said after the 4.7 (31) to 3.5 (23) win.
“I suppose we get to start planning for a couple of weeks’ time, without taking our eye off next week as well.
“They’re a really good group, always looking for the next challenge. That’s what they’ve been about the whole time and I think that’s why they’re able to take every challenge that comes.”
Geelong started the game brilliantly. Kicking with the wind, it held Knights goal-less while Paige Sheppard, Renee Tierney and Sachi DeGiacomi all kicked majors to get the Falcons out to a 19-point lead. DeGiacomi, Sheppard, Walmsley, Tierney. Jarvis 2, Bannan. McEvoy, Taylor, Purcell, DeGiacomi, Inei, Morrison. Newton, McKenzie, Kearney, Morris-Dalton, Snow, Jarvis. At Anthony Costa Oval, St Mary’s, on Saturday.
The game tightened up in a goal-less second quarter. The Knights kicked two behinds to drag the margin back slightly, but the Falcons looked in control at the main break.
But the visitors turned the game on its head inside the first few minutes of the third quarter, kicking two goals to drag themselves back into the game. The Knights were dominating the midfield battle, winning the footy at the stoppages and putting the Falcons under a sea of pressure.
Holding just a four-point lead and with the Knights kicking with the wind in the final term, Geelong needed to find another gear. And it did.
Sophie Walmsley kicked a goal inside the first minute to stretch the margin and give her side some breathing space.
After having their colours lowered in the third term, the Falcons won back the midfield battle and the game seemed to turn back their way.
The Knights put some pressure on late, but the Falcons’ defence stood tall.
“I think because of our position at half-time, I think the girls thought that it (kicking away to a win) might just happen with the breeze. But the way we responded in the last quarter when we were into it (the wind) was amazing,” Armistead said.
“We took the game on still, our girls weren’t worried too much by where the game was.”