WFNL TRIUMPHS IN THREE OF FOUR MATCHES AGAINST SFNL
The Western Football Netball League has made a successful return to Senior Interleague winning three of four matches against the Southern Football Netball League on May 17.
Going head-to-head with another league for the first time since 2019, the WFNL was victorious in Senior Women’s and Senior Men’s Football and Senior Netball with its one loss coming in Under 19s Men’s Football.
The WFNL’s triumph in Senior Men’s Football was its first since beating the Ballarat Football Netball League in 2016.
It couldn’t have been a better introduction to Interleague competition for Senior Women’s Football and Senior Netball with both sides a part of the WFNL representative program for the very first time.
With three football matches played at Avalon Airport Oval in Werribee, the day started with the SFNL proving too good in the Under 19s downing the WFNL by 33 points.
The visitors jumped out of the blocks kicking two goals in the first four minutes of the game before the WFNL eventually settled into the contest.
Max Downing kicked the WFNL’s opening goal after 13 minutes of the play, however the hosts wouldn’t get their second until the same minute mark of the second quarter.
Trailing by nine points at the main break the WFNL fell 31 points down 10 minutes into the third quarter as the SFNL dominated the early exchanges of the second half.
A late goal to end the third term and the first of the fourth quarter cut the deficit to 19 points for the WFNL, but they couldn’t get any closer as the SFNL added the four of last five goals.
Obie Miller was best on ground for the WFNL with Spotswood’s Max Hewitt and Yarraville Seddon teammates West Barker and Spencer Wray also among the top performers.
Newport’s Mohamed El Hawli was the WFNL’s most dangerous forward kicking three of the team’s five majors.
It was the WFNL who got off to a fast start in the Senior Women’s match as the home team established an early two-goal advantage and things got better late in the opening quarter when Mariah Burton kicked a miraculous left-footed goal from hard up against the boundary line.
The WFNL failed to add to its goal tally in the second term, but they were able to maintain control as WFNL captain Lauren Basto and Kyah Tessari were outstanding in defence.
With the SFNL goalless for the first three quarters the WFNL took a comfortable 23-point lead into the final quarter.
The hosts then extended their advantage to a game-high 31 points with the first three scoring shots of the last, putting the game out of reach for the opposition, the WFNL eventually running out 25-point winners.
Wyndhamvale star Mariah Burton was named the WFNL’s best player and along with Caroline Springs’ Caitlin Pretty finished with two goals.
Charlize Sindoni (Caroline Springs) and Sharni Currie (Suns) were also key contributors.
The Senior Men’s game saw the WFNL off to dream start with Tom Condon snapping the first goal of the game inside the opening minute.
Further goals to Charlie Di Stefano and Lachy Green and a scoreless quarter by the SFNL saw the WFNL leading by 19 points at the first break.
The visitors cut the deficit to a goal with the first two majors of the second term before the WFNL’s youngest player Xavier Kardachi delivered a much-needed steadier with classy finish.
After leading by nine points at the main break the WFNL made a quick start to the second half with two early goals courtesy of Bruno Laguda and Max Tessari.
Josh Helliwell was at his intercepting best in the third helping to limit the SFNL to just 1.2 for the term, while Condon’s third goal after the three-quarter time siren had the hosts 29 points up.
However, after a big final quarter comeback in their Interleague clash with the Riddell District Football Netball League a year earlier it looked like the SFNL might pull off something similar in Saturday’s contest.
A goal inside 30 seconds was the start the SFNL needed and when they nailed three straight majors in little time the margin was just 10 points at the 14-minute mark of the last.
The visitors closed the gap further with a fifth goal, but Condon stepped up late kicking his fourth major of the afternoon with only minutes remaining to secure the WFNL a 14-point victory.
Condon earned best on ground honours for his efforts with Parkside teammate Bruno Laguda and fellow midfielders Caleb and Darcy McPherson of Albion also outstanding for the WFNL.
At Eagle Stadium the WFNL overcame challenging conditions and a strong SFNL outfit to claim the cup in Senior Netball.
The match was a seesawing affair with the WFNL working its way back from a halftime deficit to win by the three goals.
It was goal-for-goal in the opening quarter with scores tied at the first change before the SFNL gained the ascendency in the second term to lead by six goals at the half.
A 14-8 third quarter in favour of the WFNL brought the teams level yet again, and in a tense final stanza the home team would eventually go ahead and then hold its nerve late to come out on top.
The move of Akira McCormack from goal attack to centre during the second quarter proved to be a game changer for the WFNL with the Glen Orden played awarded best on court by the umpires.
Meanwhile, the defensive play of Majar Hikuroa Betham (GK), Collen Lavea (GD), and Emma Vitalone (WD) along with 22 second-half goals from coach and goal shooter Rebecca Hicks were all crucial in the WFNL’s triumph.
SENIOR INTERLEAGUE SCORES
UNDER 19’S FOOTBALL
WFNL: 1.1 2.4 3.4 5.8 (38)
SFNL: 2.0 4.1 7.5 11.5 (71)
GOALS: Mohamed El Hawli 3, Max Downing, West Barker.
BEST: Obie Miller, West Barker, Max Hewitt, Spencer Wray, Mohamed El Hawli, Max Downing.
SENIOR WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
WFNL: 3.0 3.2 4.5 6.8 (44)
SFNL: 0.2 0.5 0.6 2.7 (19)
GOALS: Caitlin Pretty 2, Mariah Burton 2, Sharni Currie.
BEST: Maria Burton, Lauren Basto, Charlize Sindoni, Kyah Tessari, Sharni Currie.
SENIOR MEN’S FOOTBALL
WFNL: 3.1 4.7 8.11 10.16 (76)
SFNL: 0.0 3.4 4.6 9.8 (62)
GOALS: Tom Condon 4, Bruno Laguda 2, Lachlan Green, Max Tessari, Xavier Kardachi, Charlie Di Stefano.
BEST: Tom Condon, Josh Helliwell, Bruno Laguda, Caleb McPherson, Darcy McPherson.
SENIOR NETBALL
WFNL: 11 17 31 42 (42)
SFNL: 11 23 31 39 (39)
GOALS: Rebecca Hicks 36, Olivia Craske 4, Akira McCormack 2.
BEST: Akira McCormack, Emma Vitalone, Majar Hikuroa Betham.
WATCH SENIOR INTERLEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS FOR ALL FOUR MATCHES HERE