The girls in purple took to Vincentia footy field in the first women's clash between Ulladulla and the Bay Basin Bombers. It was a slightly interrupted preparation for the Dockettes with injuries and work commitments ruling out a few key players in the lead-up to the game.
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Nevertheless 16 eager footyheads donned the pink, white and purple of the Dockers and took to the field. As is becoming a bit of a theme ruckwoman Lux soared above her opponent early, allowing on baller Amy to get good early use of the footy. This midfield dominance saw the ball parked in the Basin defensive 50 for long stretches of the quarter, where debutant Tony Williams was unlucky not to add a goal with her first touch of the Sherrin.
Although wayward at goal, the Dockers side didn't give the Bombers an inch, manning up well on the Basin kick ins and smothering any potential Basin counter attacks. Nic Higgins made a sparkling return after a week off, laying an outstanding tackle when the Bombers looked to be away. Shannon Lloyd barrelled through the Dockers' only major for the quarter, the purple haze kicking 1 goal 6 behinds to be up 12 zip at quarter time.
The second quarter was more of an arm wrestle than the first, with the Basin side enjoying decent field position. Whenever they pressed forward they could find no way around the Great Wall of Moruya that is Bethany across halfback, as she charged into every contest and pounced on any loose footy. Bethany was ably backed up by young Mel Staunton making her senior debut and looking right at home on the wing.
Fresh from a six- week stint with glandular fever, Mel was racking up the kms, displaying impeccable footy smarts, clunking intercept marks and dropping back to help when needed. It was as the quarter came to close that the coaching staff realised the Dockers side wasn't awarded a single free kick for the quarter, a feat never before managed and contributing to them adding just one minor score to be up 13-nil at the break.
With a few calls not going their way but looking the much more likely side, the message from the Ulladulla coach was for calm heads and good attitudes as the Dockers looked to go all out attack and bust the game open in the 3rd quarter. The girls couldn't have responded any better, Kristelle Westbrook was at her damaging best through the midfield, shrugging defenders and busting her way through traffic, setting up Mel nicely for her first goal. Amy was showing the footwork of a young Benji Marshall, dancing and skipping past would be tacklers to pump the ball into the Dockers forward 50 and even sneaking forward to nab a goal of her own.
Skipper Shaylee Sydenham added her first goal for the year as she swung from defence to attack, draining a long bomb whilst Shan Lloyd yet again showed her cool head in front of the sticks adding her second. The Bombers side having no answer as the Dockers went ahead 39 zip at the final change.
The Dockers continued where they left off in the final quarter, full of running and energy. To their credit the Bombers side hung tough and never stopped chasing and pressuring. Kristelle and Amy were again dynamic through the midfield, ably backing up the relentless work ethic of ruckman Lux. Mel was shifted to the back flank for a rest yet refused to stand still, chasing everything. Meanwhile at the attacking end Em was leading hard and finding space, while Shannon Lloyd sent another of her trademark torps through the goals to get her third for the match and second hat-trick of the year. Even the Killer Catepillar got in on the action, crawling her way up front and blossoming into Butterly Bradley, effortlessly floating across the goal and adding her first 6 pointer for the year. The final score a resounding 7 goals 11 behinds, 53 to Bay and Basin's 0.
It was an amazing display from the Ulladulla side, it took incredible mental toughness and resilience to get on with just playing the game despite some testing calls. The coaching staff and supporters alike were blown away by their application and attitude. Players player votes went 1 vote Mel Staunton, 2 Votes Amy Corkhill and 3 votes and players player Skipper Shazzle.
Thank you to Brett for his help on the day and Annette for running Water. Both sides are back at home next weekend, so get down to Dockerlands for some footy. Start times and opposition can be found on the Ulladulla Dockers Senior AFC Facebook page!
