By Lance Jenkinson
Manor Lakes is invincible.
The Storm have completed a perfect season in the inaugural Western Region Football League senior women’s competition, securing the premiership with a 51-point win over Caroline Springs at Avalon Airport Oval on Saturday evening.
The Nathan Smithwick-coached team went through the home-and-away rounds with a 13-0 record and an out-of-this-world percentage of 2708.93 with a league-best 1517 points for and a stingy 56 against.
There were no hiccups in the finals either, with the Storm easily beating Caroline Springs in the semi-final and the grand final to make it a flawless 15-0 season.
“It’s unbelievable to go through the season 15-0, it’s ridiculous,” Smithwick said.
“We’ve got the most competitive team that you’ll ever come across.
“They don’t like losing one bit.
“It showed in the grand final.”
Aside from some early pressure, Manor Lakes had the grand final on its own terms.
The Storm held Caroline Springs to just one goal and managed to post eight of their own in wet and windy conditions.
“They did come out hard,” Smithwick said.
“They were very physical and started well.
“Once we settled, we put the scoreboard pressure on and that was the end of that.”
Gemma Anderson was the best-on-ground in the grand final.
The Manor Lakes midfielder was arguably the player of the finals series.
“She was definitely best-on in both of our finals games,” Smithwick said.
“If the VFL coaches aren’t looking at her, they should be looking harder.
“Her skill level is double above this competition.
“Her smarts in the wet, she’s kicking goals from the boundary line, taking overhead marks, you name it she can do it.”
Vice captain Lindsay Newton was a fine two-way player in defence for Manor Lakes.
Newton was good with her one-on-one defending and breathtaking with her ball movement in transition.
“She set the game up for us,” Smithwick said.
Cara Dunshea threw her body on the line time and again in a stellar captain’s game.
Alysha Bettels was impenetrable in defence and a major reason why Caroline Springs could not get any scoreboard pressure.
Jaimi Paten and Jessica Court were the others to standout for the Storm.
Smithwick paid tribute to every player who stuck to their task.
“You can just keep going and name them all,” he said. “They all play as a team and as a coach that’s all I’m after.”
For more pictures from the grand final, CLICK HERE
