It was a history-making day for the Essendon Football Club, but a 39-point loss to an experienced Hawthorn team was the result in the Bombers’ first VFL Women’s match.
After a tight tussle in the first half, the game opened up in the third quarter. Young forward Alex Quigley kicking the Bombers’ first goal from a downfield free kick to the delight of the impressive Windy Hill crowd, who turned out in force for the first match of the newest Bomber team.
Northern Territory recruit Danielle Ponter and Canadian forward Valerie Moreau put back-to-back goals on the board in the final quarter, but Hawthorn was able to hold Essendon at bay in the 8.12 (60) to 3.3 (21) victory.
The Hawks boasted five AFL Women’s-listed players to the Bombers’ one (GWS forward Tait Mackrill), but the commitment to the contest of Brendan Major’s players was relentless over four quarters.
The backline was forced to stick to a watertight structure all day, so it was no surprise that many of the best Bombers were defenders. The ground-level grit of Hayley Bullas and Alexa Madden was complimented by the aerial dominance of intercept marking duo Beth Kearney and Bec Neaves in the second half.
Kirby Hicks held GWS AFLW forward Phoebe McWilliams goalless while playing assistant coach Lauren Morecroft was the Rock of Gibraltar as she combined a tagging role on Adelaide AFLW gun Sarah Perkins with tireless rebound out of the back half.
Ponter (15 touches), Mackrill (12) and Neaves (11) were the main ball winners for the Bombers. It was also a successful return to football for winger Jess Trend, who played out her first match in 20 months following an ACL injury in 2016.
“Our first impressions were good, the team jelled together well and our heat around the ball was good,” senior coach Brendan Major said after the match.
“Our best was in the last quarter when the game was iced and we were tired; to fight back, keep fighting and kick a couple was important.”
Major also praised the Bombers faithful who attended the match, calling their “first-rate support” a continuation of the pre-season excitement around the VFL Women’s team.
Essendon will be back at Windy Hill in round two to take on Melbourne Uni from 12pm next Saturday.
ESSENDON 0.0 0.1 1.3 3.3 (21)
HAWTHORN 2.3 2.7 5.11 8.12 (60)
GOALS
Essendon: Quigley, Ponter, Moreau
Hawthorn: Perkins 2, Hutchins, O’Donnell, Gilder, Luke, Flanagan, Dillon
