Tara Murray
Kyneton’s dreams of back-to-back premierships in the Riddell District Football League women’s competition remain alive.
The Tigers won through to a second straight grand final, beating Woodend-Hesket in the preliminary final on Saturday.
The Tigers kicked the only goals of the first half to lead by 35 points at the main break.
Woodend-Hesket was able to reduce that margin slightly in the third quarter as it finally got on the scoreboard with its first two goals.
The Tigers finished off strongly to seal their grand final spot, winning 8.4 (52)-2.6 (18).
Tigers coach Phil Hawkes said the group was pretty happy to be back in the grand final.
“The job is in front of us,” he said. “We can do it and we’ll have to play at our best.
“Everyone is pretty happy and we all celebrated last [Saturday] night.”
Hawkes said the side had been a bit flat in recent weeks and had set a couple of key areas they wanted to improve on in the front half of the ground.
He said they were able to do that against the Hawks in good signs going forward.
“We kept the pressure up and went back to basics,” he said. “What got us up there last year and over a period of time and it had dropped off.
“We lost some personnel in key areas after last season. We’ve been trying to fast track players to step up a little bit and it’s starting to work.”
After struggling with some availability, the Tigers welcomed five players back into the side which helped with their structures on Saturday.
Hawkes said it was the first time they’ve had a full side all out on the park together.
He said starting the game well was a focus.
“If you can get that scoreboard pressure early on that helps,” he said. “There’s only a couple of sides in the competition that can come back from a deficit.”
Ella Jeffrey, Laura Roberts and Emma Williams kicked two goals each for the Tigers.
Jeffrey and skipper Teagan Ainslie were named their best.
The win sets up a second straight Macedon and Kyneton grand final.
Last season, the Tigers claimed the premiership and the perfect season with the Cats the underdogs.
This time it is the other way round. The closest any team has come to the Cats, was the Tigers early in the season when they drew.
Hawkes knows they have a task ahead of them. He said he’s been told if they win, they’ll be the first Kyneton senior team to go back-to-back since 1960-61.
“One of the messages going out there is to have fun, but also know the pressure is on Macedon,” he said.
“We had it last year. This year we have nothing to lose other than going back-to-back.
“We’ll see who settles first. That will give the side a bit of an advantage.”
