Hillside didn’t panic as it came from behind to win through to its first Essendon District Football League women’s premier division grand final.
The Sharks found themselves trailing in the preliminary final against Aberfeldie for a second straight year.
There would be no repeat of 12 months ago as the Sharks kicked four last quarter goals to come away with a 5.1 (31)-3.5 (23).
Sharks coach Blaise Ferraro said it was a pretty special feeling for the group.
“It was a little nerve wracking at some points there,” he admitted.
“It’s a huge result for the girls after being knocked out in straight sets last year. We’ve had three defeats to the top team [including last year].
“To bounce back, it is reward for effort.”
The progress of the Sharks saw them not give up. They also had the breeze in the final quarter.
Ferraro said they had plenty of confidence in the group at three quarter time to get the job done.
“There was a slight breeze,” he said. “We managed our players throughout the game as we know they have some big names.
“We didn’t rush it and took our time. We didn’t panic early despite Simone Ruedin killing us all day.
“We said we had nothing to lose, we were only two goals down.
“We knew talking to the girls they would put us in front.”
The Sharks grand final hopes looked a long way off after Mo Hope kicked the first goal of the final quarter for Abers to lead by 18 points.
Ferraro said the group had to regroup as it was now or never if they wanted to taste the final day for the season at Windy Hill.
“Sarge [Caitlin Sargent] kicked two important goals from the boundary,” he said. “[Ash] Thorneycroft, [Annalise] Wilkie and [Hannah] Ibrahim, people you would expect to stand up, did that.”
Sargent was the only multiple goalkicker for the Sharks with two goals.
It was the midfielders who led the way for the Sharks.
Ferraro said the return of Thorneycroft from the Victorian Football League women’s competition had been a massive inclusion.
He said having her in the team provided leadership and gave the other midfielders more of a chance to get free.
The Sharks will now face Oak Park on Saturday in the grand final at Windy Hill. The Kangaroos are going from a third straight premiership.
The two teams have played each other twice, with one win a piece.
“The grand final is a completely different task,” Ferraro said. “Oak Park is similar to us.
“They are even across the board and it will be a physical challenge. We have not played them at full strength, every time there has been players out.”
The Sharks reserves are also in the grand final.
