Football
22 July, 2024
Demons women claim first premiership
The Horsham Demons senior women's team is the 2024 Frolic Lane Bar Western Victoria Female Football League premiers, winning a thriller by five points at Wilsons DC Farran Oval in Mortlake on Sunday.
The Demons were hot early, with Alicia Drew kicking the first goal. They kicked another goal to lead by 10 points at quarter-time.
The Demons only managed one behind in the second quarter, with South Warrnambool scoring the only goal of the quarter to reduce the margin to two points at half-time.
It was a hotly contested third quarter, with neither team giving an inch, with the Demons holding the Roosters scoreless to take a four-point lead into the last break.
The Roosters had their chances in the last quarter, kicking five behinds, but the Demons were better in front of goal. Capitalising on their only shot at goal in the quarter, when Madeleine Huggins kicked truly, they won 3.3.21 to 1.10.16.
Holly Nuske was awarded the Moyne Shire medal as best on the ground, voted by the umpires. Meanwhile, an AFL Western District Panel voted Crystal Summers the AFL Victoria Country Medalist.
Vanilla Ika, Holly Smith, Tatiarna Nelson, and Madeleine Huggins were among the best. For the Demons. Vanilla Ika was the other goalkicker.
The Roosters' only goal came through Shannon Johnson.
This was the Demons' first premiership, having come runners-up to Hamilton in 2022.
Team Manager Eliza McAnulty said it was nerve-wracking.
"It was a very evenly matched game, and we were in the lead the whole time until about 10 minutes to go when scores were level," McAnulty said.
"Everyone was nervous at three-quarter-time when we had the lead, but at the same time, we were all pretty pumped as we knew that we could do it - it was just a matter of knuckling it down, getting it done, and the girls did that."
"There were a lot of tears and celebrations as it's been a long pre-season and had players that backed up from the Limestone Coast league as well."