YARRA JUNCTION – SENIOR WOMENS REVIEW

By Alyce Collett

After missing out on finals last season, Yarra Junction’s Senior Women’s side had a much better season this year, but still have things to improve on heading into the 2020 season. 

Their season did not get off to the best start after they lost narrowly to Monbulk. They bounced back the following week, comfortably defeating Upwey Tecoma. They then lost two in a row to Healesville and Monbulk respectively, before winning the next three in a row against Upwey Tecoma, Thornton-Eildon and Belgrave. In Round Eight however they suffered a big loss at the hands of Healesville.

Round Nine saw them draw with Yarra Junction before a narrow win over Belgrave. They then lost three on the trot before they finished the Home & Away season with a big win over cellar dwellers Upwey Tecoma.

Yarra Junction finished in 3^rd place on the ladder, five and a half games behind Monbulk but also two games clear of 4^th placed Thornton – Eildon. 

In the first week of the finals, they came up against another side who missed out on finals last year in Thornton – Eildon. Unfortunately for the Eagles, it was not their day as Thornton – Eildon were too good on the day and came away with the win.

In the mid season report, it was noted that the first quarters had been a deciding factor for the most part in determining the outcome of Yarra Junction’s games. If you take the round two clash out of the equation (because the data was unavailable at the time of writing) if Yarra Junction’s quarter time score was in single digits, they ended up losing the game. If the score had been in the double digits, the Eagles went on to get the chocolates in the end.

In the second half of the season, this continued. If you take three games (round nine against Thornton – Eildon, round 12 against Monbulk and round 13 against Thornton – Eildon) out of the equation, the pattern continues. 

In round nine, the game was a draw.

In round 12 the Eagles kept Monbulk scoreless in the opening quarter, but the Hawks were able to come from behind and take the lead by the half time break and in the end took the win. 

A similar story happened only a week later, but Thornton – Eildon managed to score a point in the first term, but still took the lead by the time the half time break rolled around.   

On an individual note, Michelle Goldsmith was the top goal kicker for the Eagles so far this season, kicking 16 goals. Goldsmith can also lay claim to the highest individual game tally, with four goals against Thornton – Eildon in round six.