The Northern Football League’s first senior women’s representative match will go down in history in more ways than one.
The NFL’s match against South Eastern Women’s Football was a special occasion for both before they even took to the field, as it was the representative debut for the two leagues.
And once they were out there, they put on a show, with the result coming down to extra time.
A point to South Eastern’s Chloe Hunt late in extra time delivered her side a 4.7 (31)-4.6 (30) victory.
NFL coach Chyloe Kurdas said that while a win would have been nice, the players were already winners.
“I’m not fussed by the scoreboard result – it was the football result that mattered for me,” she said.
“We achieved everything that we set out to do. We set some clear KPI’s and we ticked all the boxes and felt a great level of success.”
Nothing separated the two teams all day, with four points being the biggest margin at any of the breaks.
Both sides pushed to find the extra goal, but the defences stood strong when needed.
NFL vice-captain Ellie Koiker was named its best player after starring in the midfield.
Kurdas said Koiker’s ability to continue to learn, even within the game, was impressive.
She said Keilor’s Wright twins, Gemma and Sarah, were also fantastic.
Cassie Hurst kicked two goals for the NFL.
Kurdas said coaching in extra time was a different kind of challenge, one she hadn’t faced before.
“You have to play a different style of football … deciding when to attack or when to defend,” she said..
“I really appreciated the opportunity to do that and it makes me a better coach.”
Kurdas said every player in the side had displayed massive development during their training sessions.
“From the first week to how we finished up in the game, it’s a very different group of players,” she said. “It’s a testament to the women and their application. They have stepped up and grown.”
Having had such a successful first year of the program, Kurdas said they would continue to make it a focus to help take football in the north to the next level.
She said one focus had been to ensure they were rewarding all clubs in the league that had put time into women’s football.
“We wanted players to get nominated from all the clubs and there was a quite a cross section,” she said.
“There was such a wonderful representation and it was an opportunity for the players and the league to showcase the competition.
“It’s a critical piece of the football puzzle.”
