MATCH REPORTS GRAND FINAL - Newtown Breakaways - by Reb The 2009 grand final between the Western Wolves and Newtown Breakaways was always certain to be a hard fought affair. The Wolves had earned themselves a two week break and capitalised with seven training sessions in that time, whilst Newtown's leadup to the grand final involved not knowing until Wednesday whether they or Balmain would be taking the field on Saturday. Would the premership of 2009 come down to preparation, skill, or sheer determination to win? In the end it was probably all three that decided the final result. After opening to a grand final atmosphere of team banners and cheer squads with streamers under decorated tents, the game saw Newtown take an early first goal, drawing the Wolves full back out of position and kicking free into an open forward line. The Wolves made up for this costly error by shutting the ball in their own forward half for the remainder of the quarter. Despite Newtown's flooding of their back line, the Wolves maintained possession and kicked their way to a three point lead at the first break. The second quarter showed both teams were equally hungry, with fiercely contested battles around the ground. A strong crunching tackle on Wolves on-baller Trish Muller saw her forced onto the sidelines not long before play was stopped and the stretcher called for a Newtown defender. On the scoreboard Newtown again started strongly with two early goals, before the Wolves again reclaimed possession. The Wolves had several opportunities to reclaim the lead with one set shot grazing the post and a snap from the goal square missing its target, before Talei Owen put one through on the run. A goal from Newtown put the scores at 24 apiece at half time, and the game well in the balance. The third quarter saw the ball moving around the ground with no effect on the scoreboard at either end. A second goal by Talei Owen running into an open goal was answered by two from Newtown to put them a goal up at the final break. Newtown's injured defender returned to the field only to be carried off again shortly after, and several Wolves players were showing signs of physical exhaustion, with a few players cramping up or pulling up sore. It looked like the final quarter might come down to fitness as much as who had the drive to win. The Wolves came out strongly in the final term to level the scores early, then drawing in front by a point before Newtown kicked their way to a five point lead and never looked back. Although it was evident both sides would put their lives on the line for the win, Newtown's bodies were ultimately fresher and stronger and the Breakways ran home with a 13 point win. The performance from both teams was outstanding and with Newtown's first loss for the year not coming until the first round of finals and at the hands of the Wolves themselves, the Wolves shouldn't understate their efforts in presenting Newtown with such a challenging grand final. The 2009 Western Wolves team included eight first-year players, six of whom appeared in the grand final team. This team should be proud of their performance throughout the year and their achievements in the tightly contested grand final. The Wolves in 2009 have improved out of sight from their first kick around the paddock in Wagga during the pre-season, to develop a game built around strong on-field teamwork and communication. Perhaps the fittest team in the competition pushed a little too hard in the lead up to the big one, but there's nothing to show this team can't go all the way next year. Congratulations on an oustanding 2009, Wolves, and bring on 2010! SEMI FINAL - Newtown Breakaways - by Reb Saturday afternoon saw the Wolves face Newtown in the second semi-final, with the winner to take the first spot in the grand final, and the loser to play Balmain to decide who would secure the second. If the Wolves were to walk straight through, they would have to be the first team to defeat Newtown all season. It was a big ask, and one the Wolves accepted, seeing their way through to the grand final and a chance to win back to back flags. The first quarter was all Newtown, with the Wolves running behind their opponents, not manning up, not talking, and more often than not being second to the ball. Newtown were allowed to play their game and they took advantage, outscoring the Wolves to be three goals up at the first break. The Wolves came into the second term looking more switched on, manning up and playing harder at the ball, and reaping the rewards early with a strong goal on the run from their captain, Christine MacDonald, moments after the opening bounce. The Wolves were still unreliable hitting their targets, but by the end of the quarter had managed to reduce Newtown’s lead to 11 points. After half time the Wolves came out the stronger side, playing high intensity football and showing Newtown they weren’t going to let the game go easily. The Wolves kept the ball inside their forward 50 for most of the quarter, with any turnover Newtown’s way being almost instantly reclaimed by the Wolves. Inaccuracy in front of goal kept the supporters in a state of high agitation, as point by point the Wolves chipped away at Newtown’s lead, but their intensity at the ball and their teamwork and communication created an exceptional quarter of football. Two goals to the Wolves towards the end of the quarter put them thirteen points in front at the final change. Despite having a full bench, the Wolves made no rotations until midway through the fourth quarter, when players began bringing themselves off for a rest. Given the intensity of the game and the unseasonal heat there was always a danger that the Wolves would tire and allow Newtown to run over them. The glimpse of a spot in the grand final proved too strong however, and the Wolves held on to maintain the standard of the third quarter. Newtown finished with a goal within the last minute, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Wolves from securing a spot in the grand final. The game showed why the Wolves are an exciting team to watch, with their second half performance leaving many spectators impressed. A grand final gives no second chances and the Wolves will have to make sure they switch on early in the next game, but when these girls play, they play mighty fine football, and here’s hoping they can go all the way. ROUND 12 - Sydney University - by the Whispering Wolf The Western Wolves and Sydney Uni played out a hard fought and very close match on Saturday evening, keeping the spectators entertained though rather cold. The ground was muddy and damp, which meant that the majority of the first half saw the ball on the ground with clean possessions hard to come by. Geeza, T, Bibby and Dutchy were running hard, kicking well and contesting at every opportunity. Whilst the Wolves went in to half time 16 points in front, the opposition was making their task difficult with strong and clean hands, taking the majority of marks they attempted; no small feat in the slippery and cold conditions. The second half began as the first had ended and it was clear to all watching the game that this was a match between two well matched teams. Sydney Uni crept back into the game and at three quarter time the scores were close and the spectators excited. The last quarter was always going to be one which kept the crowd on their feet, and the winning team was going to be the one which could keep their nerve under pressure. Whilst the Wolves were running hard and creating play straight down the centre corridor of the ground, Sydney Uni were continually hitting their targets and taking strong marks, which meant that once they gained possession of the ball they had a high chance of scoring. The last quarter lived up to all expectations and there was much yelling and jumping on the sidelines, with supporters for both teams willing their players on. To the credit of both teams the players fought hard for the entire duration of the game. Whilst there were many tired legs and injured players on the field for the Wolves due to few rotations off the bench they held on through the last quarter for a great victory. Trish showed her brilliance in the last minutes to contribute to the winning goals of the game and Junior and D also showed their usual calmness under pressure to make a strong contribution to the win. All in all it was a most entertaining game to watch; the two teams were evenly matched throughout the game and showed strong teamwork, courage and commitment which will hold them in good stead for the remainder of the season. ROUND 9 - Newtown Breakaways - by Reb Round 9 saw the Wolves face their biggest challenge yet, up against the undefeated Newtown Breakaways. The close-fought physical game was reflected in the final score of 3.6.24 apiece. It was well into the first quarter before the first goal was scored, with Newtown putting two on the board before the Wolves pushed deep into their forward line and quick hands saw Rachel "Geeza" Mercer kick the Wolves first just before the break. The Wolves were showing a new forward setup, with an empty 50m arc and the addition of consummate midfielder Trish Muller to their forward line. The new strategy was demonstrated by their second goal, with the ball kicked forward to space by Cynthia Dufaut from 50m out, chased down by a pack of running forwards, gathered and passed through hands to Geeza who put through her second for the Wolves. This setup also saw a number of missed opportunities for goal, at times with a loose ball kicked forward and left to roll at will, at others with too many chasing the ball forward creating not enough room around goal. Despite this, the extra players pushing back may have provided the pressure around the midfield the Wolves needed to shut Newtown down, with neither team able to break the game open. A strong performance by the Wolves backline left Newtown scoreless in the second quarter, and another goal from Geeza, this time from a set shot, saw the Wolves ahead at half time. The second half was a low-scoring affair, with Newtown kicking the only goal midway through the fourth quarter. The hits were hard and some of the Newtown girls slow to get up, but the Wolves didn't back down, determined not to let the game out of their grasp. The last five minutes of play saw the ball tight around the Newtown goal, proving surely as tense for the players as it was for the spectators. Two rushed behinds from the Wolves saw Newtown draw level, before time was stopped and the stretcher called with less than a minute to play. The Wolves managed to hold onto the draw, leaving Newtown winless for the first time this season. In her first game of the year after breaking her ankle in the pre-season, Melissa Bibby held nothing back, playing hard at the ball, laying tackles, and following up with good second efforts throughout the match. Davina Pye was instrumental in the backline, as was Kristy Stroop across the middle of the ground, keeping her strong opposing player in check, running loose into space when needed, and pushing back to help out in defence in the crucial final term. Although disappointingly unable to take away the full four points, the Wolves stood up to the test and showed how well they can play hard, physical football, and work together as a team. PLAYER'S PLAYER - Davina Pye SHARRIN AWARD - Melissa Bibby ROUND 8 - Bondi Shamrocks - by The Whispering Wolf The games between the Shamrocks and the Wolves are always hard fought and emotional battles and in the latest instalment of the rivalry the Wolves came away with a narrow win over the Shamrocks. As a spectator it appeared to be a game of many confusing moments: was it a game of zones or was it to be player on player, how many players were on the field, how many penalties would be awarded for the one rule infringement??? Amid the confusion, however, was a game of football in which players from both teams stood tall and contested an exciting match. For the Wolves, Trish made good use of the wings to free up the field and produce some free flowing football. This is a part of the field that is largely under utilized in the competition and the results were immediately positive for the Wolves. Dutchy and Woody were also placing their mark on the match and by half time the Wolves were well in front. The Shamrocks focussed after half time and played with commendable spirit in a game which a lesser team would not have seen out. The third quarter was played as if the match had just begun again, and also brought the highlight of the game which was Lauren's sensational snap goal from the boundary line for the Wolves. This was a magic goal which not only showed the true potential of this young player but also inspired the Wolves to an exciting few minutes of football which turned out to be invaluable with the final margin so small. The last quarter was the most exciting of the season so far and with the Shamrocks fighting to break back into the lead, the Wolves had to step up and were forced to play at high intensity for the whole quarter to hold them off. The Shamrocks were playing traditional AFL, a game of accurate kicks, hard running and strong marks, and while the Wolves were tired with few players rotating off the bench they held strong, played hard at the ball, and with their usual team spirit and commitment refused to concede their lead. It was an exciting match, a skilled match, and a match in which a commitment to winning was the key. The improvement in both teams from the previous time they met is also worthy of a mention and is an indication of the hard work that is being put in by the players. PLAYER'S PLAYER - Shelley Bates SHARRIN AWARD - Emma Molenaar ROUND 7 - St George - by The Whispering Wolf On a cold, wet and windy afternoon the Western Wolves had a huge win over St George, with the final score 86 to 19. The game started with scoring opportunities for both teams, a goal in the first minute to the Wolves, while St George scored a rushed behind a few moments later thanks to some quick thinking and fast moving in the back line from Coatesy. For the remainder of the quarter the majority of the play was in the Wolves forward fifty, but the forward fifty was so crowded for the entire quarter that only 2 goals were scored from this effort. It was clear that whichever team could get some free players both in their forward line and out on the wings would be the team to break the game open, and it was the Wolves that managed this in the second, and game winning, quarter. Geeza, Emma, Trish and Cassy put in stand out performances, and the game was won in the second quarter when the Wolves found more room in their forward line. The backs and midfielders suddenly had more space to run too and easier targets to kick to and the game started to open up. Some better use of the wings would have seen even more goals scored, with a lot of room left under-utilised. While the Wolves were doing the majority of the scoring St George continued to be hard at the ball with some excellent tackling and ferocious attacks on the ball. The weather turned just before half time and with the rain came some slipping and some dropped marks from both teams, but the Wolves went in to half time with an enormous lead. The weather remained inclement for the rest of the match with only patches of sunshine and unfortunately the conditions meant that it was a much harder game to play. The last two quarters saw the Wolves maintain their lead and it was a credit to both teams that in the wet and cold conditions they continued to be hard at the ball and the contest continued to be one of high quality. The second quarter was the winning quarter for the Wolves, and both teams put on an exciting display of football, with one team excelling in their forward line and the other showing the benefits of continuous attack on the ball. Another great win for the Wolves, and a great game for the spectators. PLAYER'S PLAYER - Talei Owen SHARRIN AWARD - Talei Owen ROUND 6 - Easts/UNSW - by Reb After several days of rain both the weather and the ground came up clear for Saturdays's opening match which saw the Wolves down UNSW Easts 109-1. Despite starting without two strong talls in Woody and Heids, the Wolves took control of the match early on and never looked back. Whether in possession or regaining it, the Wolves showed an intensity and committment around the ball that had UNSW Easts struggling to get the ball past their midfield all day. UNSW put up a strong defence, but were no match for the Wolves, whose on-field communication and flow of the ball down the ground seemed to have stepped up to a new level. This week's Wolves side featured NSW junior development player Lauren Hazell, who produced strong leads and solid marking up forward before gaining some invaluable experience in the ruck in the final term. Her second quarter goal topped off an excellent performance for the fifteen year old. All in all a strong win for the Wolves, who've given their supporters a glimpse at what might be an even more exciting brand of football in weeks to come. PLAYERS PLAYER - Bree Calderwood and Cassie Bell SHARRIN AWARD - Jules Berstein ROUND 5 - Sydney Uni Bombers - by The Whispering Wolf The Wolves displayed some exciting and intense football to come away with the win on Friday night at Mahoney Oval. It was a close and hard fought game with the two teams looking very evenly matched around the ground. Sydney Uni came out hard in the first quarter and their commitment to the ball won them some of the tight contests at ground level. The tackling and fast running of the Wolves, however, made it hard to split the two teams and by half time the spectators knew it would be a close and exciting encounter. Dutchy and T were in fine form, Coatesy kept her head and displayed some good leadership skills in some tense moments and Woody again put her head on the line coming off second best but still in high spirits. The third quarter continued in the same manner with some great intense play from both teams. It was a fast paced game and one of good skills, with the well matched contests around the ground creating some great entertainment for the spectators. Three quick goals at the end of the third quarter put the Wolves in front going into the last 20 minutes and both teams knew that the game was there to be won. Trish, T and Heids took control after the three quarter time break and though the quarter was played mainly in the Wolves forward fifty, goals were hard to come by. It was not high scoring that won the quarter and the match for the Wolves it was their ability to stay calm in a tense quarter with some great spoils and punches to deny their opponents a chance to kick away. The Wolves held their heads and won the match; an exciting and intense contest with great skills and commitment to the game shown by both teams. PLAYERS PLAYER - Talei Owen SHARRIN AWARD - Cynthia Dufaut ROUND 4 - Newtown Breakaways - by Rachel Coates On a lovely Saturday afternoon, the Wolves took on the current ladder leaders, Newtown. The Wolves came at Newtown from the first bounce, moving the ball down the field well and into the forward line where it was converted. Some magnificent marking by Furbs and Geeza helped see the Wolves win the first quarter. Newtown came back with vengence in the second quarter, keeping the Wolves scoreless. The Wolves still fought hard, with some great passages of play and fantastic shepherding through the middle of the ground by Woody and ex-Newtown player Cassi. The third quarter was certainly the clash of the titans with some rushed behinds, quick goals off the ground and strong pressure by both sides, however Newtown still held the lead by the change. Whilst the Wolves contained Newtown in the last quarter, they were unable to convert their goals and capitalise on the opportunities they had. With a huge hit on Cassi and a head clash for Woody almost requiring the stretcher to come out of retirement, the Wolves were unable to grab the game, losing by 20 points. Overall the game was a great game fought with passion as both teams wanted the top spot on the ladder. The Wolves have certainly learned alot since the start of the season, and are coming into some strong form, however know that they need to continue improving to see the first Sunday in September. Also, well done to Tee who was named in this round's SWAFL Team of the Round. PLAYERS PLAYER - Trish Muller SHARRIN AWARD - Talei Owen ROUND 3 - Macquarie University - by Rachel Coates In the first game at Picken Oval - home of our male counterparts - the Wolves showed everyone exactly why they won the comp last year. The Macquarie Uni girls did their best, but just couldn't get through the centre square. Heids played an outstanding Full Forward throughout the game, with almost everyone getting a run in the forward line at some stage. Certainly a highlight was seeing Little Em and Mickey contribute to the scoreline when they made their visit to the forward line during the second quarter. Definately a great game for the Wolves, and a HUGE learning experience for the Warriors as they continue to gain experience and make their debut into the League. Special thanks to Coby, Dutchy, Coatesy, Little Em and Vicki for donning the oppositions colours for at least one quarter so we could have a game of footy. PLAYERS PLAYER - Trish Muller and Heidi Wiedner SHARRIN AWARD - Heidi Wiedner ROUND 2 - Bondi Shamrocks - by The Whispering Wolf On a damp and chilly Friday night the Western Wolves stood firm in a nail biting finish to defeat the Shamrocks by 8 points. The game started with some good tackling from both teams, but the damp conditions made it difficult for a free flowing game to progress. By the end of the first quarter the Wolves had scored two points to one goal from the Shamrocks, with both Talei Owen and Trish Muller playing well. The second quarter was when the Wolves broke the game open with 2 spectacular marks and a great goal from Georgia Woodyard in the opening minutes. The vast majority of the quarter was played in the Wolves forward 50 and the aggressive tackling, fast running and great team work were rewarded with a half time lead of 21 points to the Wolves. The game slowed down in the third quarter with only one goal scored by the Wolves, but they maintained and built on their lead with their strong tackling and ability to take advantage of some crucial turn overs. Unfortunately, the game turned quickly in the last quarter with the Shamrocks coming out of the blocks fast and quickly kicking their way into contention. The game began to go all the way of the Shamrocks and it was time for the Wolves to stand strong and turn the game back in their favour. Numerous players were beginning to cramp in cold and damp conditions, but another spectacular goal from Georgia Woodyard towards the end of the quarter stirred the Wolves into action and they fought hard through the end of the quarter to win the game by 8 points. The second quarter was the highlight of the game for the Wolves, but their strong team spirit shone through in the last minutes of the game, with all players playing as one to get increase their lead and secure the victory. A nervous last quarter for the supporters, but a great win for the Wolves. PLAYERS PLAYER - Georgia Woodyard SHARRIN AWARD - Khya Lyons
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