Leading duo ready to give their all in the decider
CURRA coach Meg Greenland knows history beckons for the club. For her women to achieve it, she said it will require AFL Townsville’s leading goal scorer to let her creativity shine.
Should the Swans prevent the Hermit Park Tigers from claiming three consecutive flags today it will be their first premiership.
If their men’s side also emerge victorious, it would mark a maiden title double.
Greenland said the potential milestone had not been discussed until Thursday night. Now the eager energy was at fever pitch.
And with Stephanie Simmonds dominating the forward pocket – despite being in just her second season of Aussie rules – she said they had the perfect attacking weapon to end the Tigers’ reign.
“She instils the confidence to be creative in everybody. I think they watch how she plays and they think they could probably give that a try … and lots of good things have come out of it,” Greenland said.
“You don’t want to be one of those players where they (the opposition) know how you turn or who you’re going to pass to.
“When you have that creativity and ability to read the game it makes it a guessing game for them, which is very difficult to defend.”
But first-year Tigers coach Troy Chatfield has his own threat at his disposal.
Hermit Park captain Hayley Cornish appears to be a leading contender for the competition’s best and fairest, having featured among her side’s standouts on 13 occasions in 2021. Throw in 19 goals, fifth in the campaign, and she comes into the decider with an impressive resume.
But Chatfield said it was her level head in high pressure situations that would prove her greatest asset.
“Leadership in finals footy is paramount, you can’t put a price on that,” Chatfield said. “She’s just hard and tough … she likes to win hard ball and has very good skills on the other end of it.
“She has certainly been the driving force behind us.”