Tara Murray
The Sunbury Lions premiership dream fell short on Saturday in the Essendon District Football League women’s division 2 competition.
Aiming for their first premiership since 2015, the Lions had a number of challenges throughout the season and leading into the grand final.
Sunbury fought hard in the grand final, but Coburg Districts was able to do enough to come away with its first premiership, 3.5 (23)-1.5 (11).
It was close all day with both sides struggling to hit the scoreboard.
The first goal of the game to Coburg in the second quarter before Sunbury scored its first in the third quarter to reduce the margin to one point at the final break.
Coburg kicked the only two goals of the final quarter to seal the win.
Sunbury coach Matt Tremellen said his group showed so much resilience to get to where they did this season.
“Credit to our girls for their tiresome efforts to compete,” he said. “But also full credit to Coburg Districts, they defended better than we did.
“They gave us no looks at goal and we couldn’t break their defence and I think that was the difference in the game.”
Going into the game, the Lions lost full forward Natachia Abela, who was suspended after the preliminary final.
Acting captain Emily Taylor played the grand final with a broken finger. She wasn’t able to have her usual impact.
Several other key players were also missing through injury.
“We threw her [Taylor] in the pocket hoping to give us a bit of speed in the forward line and some looks at goal,” Tremellen said.
“She had some looks at it. Losing our key forwards throughout the year we’ve sort of pegged back the goals a little bit.
“We were right in it.”
Sunbury had some chances to put the pressure on Coburg, none bigger just before three quarter time.
Taylor had space and could have had a shot, but decided to pass and it didn’t come off.
Coburg then had a little more composure to get the job done in the final quarter.
Taylor was the goal scorer for Sunbury.
Tremellen said he was proud of what the group had been able to achieve this year.
“Since I came in the plan has been to get the club going back in the right direction and get the numbers to really set up the future,” he said.
“All of our efforts all the girls that have come through and contributed getting us here, just to be here is an achievement for us.
“Grand finals are hard to win… We didn’t get it done, but we will be back next year.”
The future is bright for Sunbury.
The under-18s made a preliminary final, with several playing in the senior grand final as well, while their under-16s made the grand final as well.
“What we’ve got coming through and what we’ve got coming through behind that after that… Will make it exciting times.”
