Hillside has claimed its first Essendon District Football League women’s premier division premiership in the most remarkable circumstances.
After leading for most of the day, the Sharks premiership hopes came down to the final kick of the day.
Oak Park defender Rhianna Nunn won herself a free kick about 20 metres out from goal with her side five points down.
The siren went meaning the shot at glory and a third straight premiership would come with the final kick of the day.
Nunn’s kick went straight into Ash Thorneycroft, who was standing the mark, giving the Sharks the ultimate prize, 3.4 (22)-2.5 (17).
Sharks coach Blaise Ferraro said he only had one thing going through his head as Nunn had the ball.
He said it wasn’t surprising to see Thorneycroft with that little bit of extra effort to make sure she got a hand on that kick.
In round one, Thorneycroft broke her finger on that same hand in the first contest of the year against Oak Park.
“I first thought was making sure that it’s not 50,” he said. “I was making sure that Ash didn’t run over the line.
“I knew it was the full back and I knew it was the fairytale story to have a three-peat, I thought it was lined up for that.
“It’s a bit ironic that the hand that broke in the first contest of the season against Oak Park, was the hand that saved the day.
“It was a bit symbolic there, which was nice.”
The Sharks came into the grand final as underdogs against a Kangaroos outfit looking to make history.
Ferraro said he was fairly confident heading into the game that his side could find a way to get across the line.
“We had done everything that we needed to do,” he said. “There was a bit of calmness about that.”
The Sharks did most of the attacking in the first half and kicked the only three goals of the first half.
Ferraro said they knew that the Kangaroos were going to come. It proved to be a similar story to 12 months, but on that occasion the Kangaroos were in front and had to hold off Aberfeldie.
“We just had to make sure that we didn’t panic,” Ferraro said. “No matter what happens, you know that they are going to come and you have to absorb that pressure.
“Get a break and reset from there. They came in the third quarter and managed to hold them off just long enough to hold a three score lead heading into the last.”
Ferraro said they wanted to score in the second half but couldn’t get it out so they were resigned to holding on for dear life.
He said they played like that last year and had played in some tight ones against the Kangaroos in the past two years.
Ferraro said he always thought they had done enough heading into the final quarter to get the win.
The premiership win is two seasons in the making after finishing on top last season and then going out in straight sets.
Ferraro said the hurt of last year really drove them this year.
“They were really devastated that they didn’t make it last year,” he said. “It was a lack of experience.
“Through the year they took a few knocks and they had to rebound, it really held them in good stead to not to freak out and panic.”
Madalyn Kelly kicked two goals for the Sharks, while Emily Paterno kicked the other.
Annalise Wilkie was awarded the best on ground medal.
“She has been fantastic all year for us,” Ferraro said. “She wasn’t happy with her season last year, even though she came top five in the league best and fairest.
“She put in a mountain of work. Really put her head down and definitely the hardest worker on the track.”
It was a spread of contributors for the Sharks to get the job done. Ferraro said that was one of the differences from last year to this year.
The Sharks reserves side fell just short in the grand final in the second straight year
“The buzz around the club was fantastic,” he said.
