Youthies fall just short
The Warragul Industrials youth girls played a strong and relentless game against top-of-the-ladder Sale City at home on Sunday, finishing just a point behind at the final siren, proving the Dusties to be a formidable side this season.
Despite the low final score of 1.6 (12) to 1.7 (13), the intensity of the match cannot be reflected in these numbers.
The first quarter saw the nervous but enthusiastic Dusties girls fired up to get out and take on Sale, where they dominated the game with their defensive style of play, shutting down Sale's top players.
Excellent work in the ruck by Luka Butters allowed onballers Lilly Leighton and Rianna Jinnette to break free of the packs, setting up passages of play along the field.
This resulted in a score of three points for the Dusties at quarter time while Sale remained scoreless.
This certainly gave the Dusties a massive confidence boost.
Coach Mark Leighton was passionate in his quarter time talk, creating a sense of excitement in the team huddle.
Sale City came back in the second quarter, kicking a goal and a point to take the lead.
The Dusties, however, maintained plenty of composure as their pressure acts and seconds efforts couldn't be faulted.
Although the Dusties only added one point to their total, strong tackles by Amy Boote and Kira Wilson alongside the consistent defensive pressure by defenders Charlotte Waller and Hayley Wilson left Sale with no chances to add to their three-point half time lead.
The third quarter saw yet another point kicked for the Dusties, putting the girls two points behind Sale.
Molly Schuurmans' work in and amongst the packs and throughout the midfield gave the Dusties girls opportunities to return the ball to their attacking 50 with the help of Hayley Waite's and Eden Simcocks' refined ball-handling abilities.
But regardless of the girls attempts to stifle their opponents, Sale proved to be too strong, kicking another four behinds.
It was the final quarter that saw the Dusties come out with a new level of hunger and energy to beat the top team, influencing fantastic play and teamwork across the field.
Efforts by all girls on the team were second-to-none, with those in the forward line time and time again displaying immense persistence and strength as they managed to keep the ball within the Dusties' attacking 50 for majority of the quarter.
The team were finally able to respond with a goal of their own, kicked by Addison Howe after taking a beautiful mark inside forward 50.
Unfortunately for the Duties, Sale City kicked a behind, giving them a two-point lead, with under five minutes remaining.
The girls dug deep and gave the game everything they had, kicking a point and resulting in what would be a one-point defeat upon the sound of the final siren.
Best on ground for the Dusties went to Eden Simcocks, Hayley Wilson, Kira Wilson, Lilly Leighton, Amy Boote and Hayley Waite.
All the girls played a persistent and passionate game of football proving themselves to be a team to watch out for in the season ahead.