Falcons no match for ThunderW in historic win – Round 1

05.05.18 22:29

by Murray Silby

The NT Thunder women have announced their arrival in the VFL Women’s competition with a remarkable 54-point victory over the premier of the past two seasons, Darebin, 12.14 (86) to 5.2 (32).

Thunder’s far-flung talent travelled from the reaches of the Northern Territory and Adelaide to gather on the Falcon’s home ground, Preston City Oval, and put on a performance that would show they deserved their place in the premier competition outside the AFLW.

It’s hard to overestimate Thunder’s achievement. The squad faced a formidable challenge against Darebin, a powerhouse of women’s football in Victoria for more than a decade.

The winner of the only two VFL W premierships contested so far in 2016 and 17, the winner of five successive VWFL premierships – before the formation of the VFL W – from 2006 to 2010, runner-up in 2011 and 12 before winning three more in succession from 2013 to 2015.

The fearsome Falcons would have talons poised, ready to strike out at more hapless prey, but the unassuming strength of a breeze blowing in from the Top End can be misleading and with it was brought a Thunder clap that shocked the locals.

NT signaled its intentions in the fourth minute by scoring the first major with incomparable leader Chelsea Randall breaking through a pack to straighten up and kick truly.

Darebin’s Kate Tyndall responded little more than a minute later with the home side’s first goal, but that would be the Falcons’ one and only for the term.

In fact, Tyndall’s major would be Darebin’s only goal until the ninth minute of the third term, such was Thunder’s dominance of the first half.

Thunder, however, would kick another four unanswered goals before quarter time with the visitor’s AFLW-listed talent rising to the top.

Sophie Armitstead and Marijana Rajcic both ran around in the AFLW with Adelaide in 2018 and each kicked a goal in the first, but it was a Greater Western Sydney marquee signing in 2017, who played a major part in Thunder stamping its authority on the first quarter.

Emma Swanson added two goals, one around the nine minute mark and another late in the term.

It all enabled the newcomers to the competition to take a surprising 25-point lead over the powerhouse of the Victorian women’s game to the first change.

Thunder had built its first-quarter lead on the foundation of hard work all over the ground by the likes of Angela Foley, Janet Baird and Rhiannon Metcalfe and that continued in the second.

Thunder only turned the screws tighter on the reigning premiers in the second term by adding a further four goals while holding the Falcons to none.

Adelaide Crows premiership ruck Rhiannon Metcalfe chimed in with the first goal of the quarter to be followed by Jordann Hickey, Rajcic with her second and captain Foley got in on the act with her own major at the 20 minute mark.

By the long break Thunder’s lead had leapt out to 55 points and the mighty Falcons were looking more like humble sparrows as they failed to add to their first-quarter goal.

With the Thunder forward line combining well and defenders such as Tayla Thorn, Tahlia Holtze and Foley refusing to let anything past them the match looked as though it was turning into a rout, but champion teams are rarely blown away that easily.

Scoring by both sides almost completely dried up in the third quarter with Darebin able to add a single goal through Eloise Gardner in the ninth minute and Thunder taking its turn to go goal-less.

Tight defence, led by Foley and Randall, steadied Thunder each time the Falcons threaten to push forward though with support coming from Janet Baird and Jess Allan while Machaelia Roberts was noticed for her tough tackling.

Despite managing to restrict Thunder’s run in the third, the Falcons made little inroads into the visitor’s big lead and the Thunder went to the final change with a healthy 49-point advantage.

Thoughts the low-scoring third quarter might be a foundation the Falcons could build a comeback on were dismissed after Thunder scored the opening major of the final term.

Ragcic’s third for the match was kicked in the seventh minute and just reward for her efforts throughout the game.

Tyndall answered with her second for Darebin little more than 20 seconds later, but Randall followed with her second and Jasmyn Hewett’s first meant goals to the Falcons’ Hannah Mouncey and Georgia Hammond had little impact on the final margin.

The magnitude of the moment wasn’t lost on coach Tim Weatherald.

“Obviously they’ve been the number one women’s footy club in Victoria,” he said. “We didn’t have any expectations at all and we just knew that we were playing against the best and for us that was great because the challenge was to beat the best.

“For us to come away with our first win it couldn’t be any better than it is at the moment.

“It’s my first game ever coaching women so for me it’s a really special moment. The whole thing of traveling as a group and coming together in a very high standard competition for the NT, it’s a first for women’s footy.

“We’re going to have highs and lows throughout the year, but it’s not going to get much better than that first win,” Weatherald said.

Randall has elevated her status in the women’s game through her unflinching and skilled performances and leadership of the Crows in the AFLW and Weatherald said that reputation was only enhanced against Darebin.

“I thought Chelsea Randall was a real stand out for us, she really was good for four quarters,” he said.

“She naturally plays in defence for the Crows and we offered her the opportunity to play a bit in the midfield and she was very excited to get that chance.”

Randall said the team had come together remarkably well considering how little they knew of each other.

“I’m blown away. It was just so much fun to get back out on the park and play footy with such an amazing group of girls so I’m very humbled to be able to wear the Territory jumper and represent the Territory so I’m stoked,” she said.

“We’ve really only met each other last night and this morning so for us to come together and play football like that was just exceptional. I’m really proud and excited to see where this group can go.”

NT Thunder: 5.1, 9.7, 9.9, 12.14 (86)

Darebin: 1.0, 1.0, 2.2, 5.2 (32)

GOALS: NT Thunder –  Marijana Rajcic 3, Emma Swanson 2, Chelsea Randall 2, Sophie Armitstead, Angela Foley, Jordann Hickey, Rhiannon Metcalfe, Jasmyn Hewett.
Darebin – Kate Tyndall 2, Eloise Gardner, Georgia Hammond, Hannah Mouncey.

BEST: NT Thunder – Chelsea Randall, Marijana Rajcic, Angela Foley, Deni Varnhagen, Tayla Thorn, Jordann Hickey
Darebin –  M. McDonald, M. Eastman, G. Lawson-Tavan, K. Tyndall, S. Egan, S. Simpson