WOMEN’S football has another brand-new chapter in sporting record books, with the Cats premiers in their first ever grand final appearance, at the weekend.
Now into their fifth year of the Limestone Coast Women’s Football League competition, the Cats were denied a run at finals two years ago, after Covid-19 brought the season to a premature end and just missed out on a grand final in 2020/21.
This season saw the Cats complete the home and away season with four wins and four losses – keeping their opposition scoreless in three of their victories – qualifying for B Division finals.
After a loss to unbeaten South Gambier in the final round, the Cats made no mistakes with their first final on home soil., taking down Kongorong 104 to four and earning a week off before the grand final.
On Sunday, the Cats travelled to Penola to take on North Gambier’s Tigers, in what was expected to be a tight tussle.
But the Cats came to play and the backline would have welcomed the warm day, with the Tigers struggling to get the ball anywhere near their forward 50 and the Cats’ defence largely untroubled.
At the major break, the Cats led the Tigers by more than 11 goals and by the final siren, the scoreboard told a tale of woe for the opposition.
Only the Cats’ inaccuracy in front of goal saved the day for the opposition – the Cats converting 15 of their 27 attempts to majors and finish the day 15.12.102 to North Gambier, no score.
In her final match before heading off to Adelaide, Cat Sophie Arkun once again shone, her ability to create space in the forward line, reliable hands and accurate kicking, earning her best on ground in the grand final.
Cats’ coach, Pete Hutchins said congratulated his team on playing “perfect” football.
“They played extremely well – everything we’ve trained for all year, they pretty much put into action on Sunday,” he said.
“The development has been great; a couple of the girls were inexperienced at the start of the year; you wouldn’t have known that on Sunday.”
Hutchins said he had stressed to his team over the three-week break from playing, the significance of the weekend’s match.
“I stressed it to them before the game and in the lead-up, if we go through the processes, do what we’ve trained to do, we’re going to be part of Casterton Sandford Football Netball Club history … they did and to have a bit of a hand in the history of the footy club is very satisfying.”
The Cats also held their presentation evening on Sunday, with sisters Gaby Sullivan and Scarlett Jarrad taking out the best and fairest and runner-up awards, respectively.
“Gaby’s had a phenomenal season, just a hard in-and-under midfielder and (the award) is well-deserved … Scat’s just such a big part of and contributor to the team … well done to both,” Hutchins said.
He also said, given the option at the end of this year, he would “definitely” be re-signing as Cats’ coach.
“I’m really excited about where we go from here,” he said.
SCOREBOARD
Casterton Sandford 15.12.102
North Gambier 0.0.0
Goals: Casterton Sandford – Alyssa Humphries 6, Makayla Hutchins 3, Sophie Arkun 2, Brittny Parry, Madison Mutch, Scarlett Jarrad, Emma Lynch 1.
Best: Casterton Sandford – Sopie Arkun, Scarlett Jarrad, Zhane Crawford, Alyssa Humphries, Chloe Finnigan. North Gambier - Chloe Perryman, Lorrelle Walker, Sarah Thomson, Luca Roulstone, Fiona Young, Eadie Mustart.
