By Tara Murray
It was a bitterly disappointing end to the season for Keilor in the Essendon District Football League Women’s premier division grand final.
While the Blues came in with premiership dreams, they will remember the game as more of a nightmare.
The Blues were held scoreless in the 5-10 (40)-0.0 (0) loss.
Blues coach Ron Sikora said it was a bitter pill to swallow not being able to even hit the scoreboard.
“In patches I reckon we were better than them and we moved the ball well,” he said.
“Just the difference between being proactive and reactive, and the case of it being mentally with the girls when we come up against Abers.
“It’s something they will have to overcome.”
It was a relatively even first quarter and Aberfeldie lead by eight points at the siren.
Sikora said they made one mistake which cost them, but otherwise he was happy at quarter-time.
PHOTO GALLERY: Aberfeldie vs Keilor
It then started to go wrong for the Blues, as they struggled to get the ball forward.
Sikora said they went into their shells.
“We did things we said we weren’t going to do, it was frustrating,” he said.
“We had the wind for the second quarter and they were able to control it … we went defensive, and it doesn’t work.
“We had patches of being attacking and moving the ball well, we had a few things that could have gone either way, didn’t go our way and it didn’t help us mentally.
“I’m sure there will be a few minds, thinking what might have been.”
The Blues had their best period of the game early in the last quarter but couldn’t score.
He said some of their star players did not step up when needed.
Sikora said Jessie Cameron was their best player, moving on to Sophie Cachia deep in defence.
Eleanor Cornish, Shenay Thomas, Sarah Cachia and Isabella Rowland were also good performers. Alexandra Volk, who got a late call-up to play an hour before the game, was another who played well.
Sikora said Volk’s attitude, despite not originally being picked in the team, was outstanding.
While disappointing, Sikora said overall it was an achievement to make the grand final.
“I took on the job on, two weeks before we got into it,” he said. “We had 43 players going through the list for the year.
“I think all in all, it was a good achievement to make the grand final.”
