THE Hamilton Kangaroos are Western Victoria Female Football League (WVFFL) Senior Women’s premiers after holding off minor premiers, Horsham Demons, by 12 points at Warrnambool’s Reid Oval on Sunday.

It is the club’s first senior football premiership, with the blue and white kicking against the breeze to open proceedings.

A strong defensive effort saw the Roos hold Horsham to just three behinds.

The locals made use of the conditions in the second term, with Emily Pitts breaking through to kick the first goal of the game, before the Roos doubled up to go into the main break leading by 11 points.

The second quarter was soured by a suspected collarbone injury to Hinemoa Biddle-Maitland, sidelining her for the rest of the game.

Hamilton had dominated the first half, but the Demons hadn’t lost to the Roos all season and would be out to claw back the deficit.

Horsham was kicking to the scoring end and from the midway point of the quarter, the Demons peppered the goals but inaccuracy proved costly with the team kicking 1.6 for the term.

Despite the flurry of scoring chances, Horsham led by just one point at the final break.

Mimi Chun was forced from the field with a rolled ankle, but took her place on the field in the last quarter, kicking an early goal to give the Kangaroos back the lead, before Chelsea Wain also hit the scoreboard to see the blue and white record a 5.3 (33) to 2.9 (21) victory.

Zhane Crawford was stunning in defence, rebounding and forcing the ball forward for the winners, collecting the best on ground medal, while Pitts finished with two majors as the team’s only multiple goal kicker.

Leah Mirtschin rounded out the goal kickers for the blue and white.

Kangaroos coach, Pat Sherlock said he was confident going into the decider.

“I did have the belief all week that we had the potential to do it,” he said.

“All week I didn’t see the result going the other way.”

Starting the game off so well defensively was critical, particularly going against the breeze.

Sherlock said his message was simple around how to play the conditions.

“I told them if we start with the wind, we need to kick one or two and if we start against the wind, we needed to stop them from scoring,” he said.

“I thought we could lift at half time knowing full well Horsham were going to come out hard again.

“I did think it was our pressure which made them make the mistakes, Brooke (Peel) was amazing back there and having the courage to run with the ball.

“I sort of put it (the misses at goal) down to our pressure on the kicker.”

With an even spread of contributors, it was Crawford who got the plaudits, but Sherlock said others also played important roles.

“I think they were starting to follow her around in the end,” he said.

“Pittsy was good and Caroline McGrath was fantastic, I don’t think there was a centre clearance on the day where she wasn’t involved.”

Roos captain, Bec Malseed said it was a mix of emotions and was excited to be part of a historic group for the club.

“Unbelievably amazing, I don’t think there are any words to describe being winners after going in as underdogs,” she said.

“The girls were phenomenal, they dug deep and it is just a great result.

“We have made history for the Hamilton Kangaroos, to be able to bring home a premiership to the town – it is euphoric.”