The Gold Coast Bulletin

Dominant Dolphins say bring the best

- BRENT O’NEILL brent.oneill@news.com.au

BROADBEACH coach Sarah Evans says the Dolphins are ready to take on Southeast Queensland’s best after putting the exclamatio­n mark on a season of Women’s Premier League dominance in yesterday’s grand final.

With an SEQ Women’s League looming in 2019, Broadbeach ensured there were no question marks on who is Queen of the Coast with a comfortabl­e 2-0 win in front of a vocal home crowd at Nikiforide­s Park.

The Dolphins laid the platform for their 15th-straight victory with a goal from player of the match Emily Anderson inside five minutes, before Mariana Lauff put the result beyond doubt with a second strike midway through the second half.

Having dethroned Southport, Evans said the Premier League’s new double winners were now primed to tackle the best from up and down the M1.

“We’re ready, we’re excited if that’s what happens,” Evans said. “We’re really excited about going (but) we’re under no illusions, it’s going to be a different game.

“We’ll work hard, we know we’re not walking into (success), it’s going to be tougher but we’re ready. We’ll probably even have a few more (players) come in as well and I’ve got no doubt every single one of these girls, if they don’t have to go back home to Brazil or Venezuela where a couple of them are from, they’ll be back.”

Incredibly, Broadbeach scored 80 goals and conceded just one in their unbeaten campaign.

While she was always confident of success, Evans was blown away by the Dolphins’ dominance this season.

“What the players have done and achieved this season, I don’t have the words to describe how proud I am.

“I knew these girls have got it in them, I knew they’re fantastic footballer­s. The question was did they have it mentally.

“They’ve been so strong for so many years and 2017 was a disappoint­ment but they finished it on a positive note. That was my concern but they listened, they took everything on board that I asked them to and they nailed it really.”

Robina coach Paul Rushton was humble in defeat.

“Undefeated (season), great job. Broadbeach should be very proud,” Rushton said.

WE KNOW WE’RE NOT WALKING INTO (SUCCESS), IT’S GOING TO BE TOUGHER BUT WE’RE READY DOLPHINS COACH SARAH EVANS

 ?? Picture: RICHARD GOSLING ?? Emily Anderson gives Broadbeach an early 1-0 lead in yesterday’s Women’s Premier League grand final at Nikiforide­s Park.
Picture: RICHARD GOSLING Emily Anderson gives Broadbeach an early 1-0 lead in yesterday’s Women’s Premier League grand final at Nikiforide­s Park.

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