Game-changing third term inspires win

THE Geelong Falcons have won their second premiership in less than 12 months, taking out the inaugural TAC Cup Girls premiership at Avalon Airport Oval on Saturday.

Trailing by 13 points at halftime, the Falcons used a helpful breeze to boot three unanswered majors in a game-changing third term, before producing an inspired final 15 minutes to prevail 4.8 (32) to 3.3 (21) over the Northern Knights.

Denby Taylor was awarded best-on-ground — her move from halfback to the wing at halftime sparking her team, before she kicked the matchsealing goal with less than 10 minutes to play.

The Falcons now hold both TAC Cup titles after the boys won last year’s premiership over Sandringham Dragons.

“I’m pretty speechless, really, but I’m pretty happy for all the girls,” Taylor said postmatch. “We worked really hard to get here so it’s really rewarding.”

Coach Jason Armistead dedicated the win to former Falcon Amy Gorell, who lost her life in a car accident in September last year.

“I’d just like to dedicate this season and this premiership to Amy Gorell,” he said.

“I’m sure she’d be looking down at this with a smile on her face right now.”

The Falcons wasted two goalscoring opportunities in the first term to lead by just two points at quarter-time before the Knights booted 2.3 to take a 13-point lead into the main break.

Armistead moved the magnets around at the main break, swinging captain Lucy McEvoy from centre-half back to centre-half forward and pushing Taylor from a back flank to a wing.

Nina Morrison was everywhere in the second half, while goals to Sachi DeGiacomi, Tarryn Love and Sophie Walmsley put the Falcons back in the lead at the final change.

“We felt like we were doing a lot of things right, it was just believing it was going to turn our way eventually,” Armistead said.

“I’ve said during the year: the girls, as soon as they’re challenged, they step up every time.

“We just went over how confident we were about the fact they would be able to do that and that it would turn around.

“We probably took a few risks from our defensive end to try and win it around the footy and then we just needed that extra target forward as well. But it only worked because the players all lifted really.”

Armistead said superstition also got the better of him.

“We don’t usually sit in the box and I didn’t have my lucky hat on,” he quipped.

“When I came down at halftime I said to Katie (Geerings), ‘I haven’t got my hat on, that’s the issue’. So I actually ran back to the coaches box and got it and then I thought, ‘I’m going back on the ground like I usually do’.

“Maybe the girls are more comfortable when I’m wearing a hat or being on the bench and barking instructions, I suppose. It was a little bit of superstition though.”