By JARROD POTTER
SEJ GRAND FINAL – YOUTH GIRLS
TRIPLE premiership winning side Beaconsfield proved far too powerful for a gallant Cranbourne in the South East Juniors Youth Girls grand final.
Since joining the league four seasons ago, Beaconsfield has been a perennial powerhouse – picking up flags in 2013 and 2014 – and continued that rampage on Sunday morning.
The build up to this match had all the usual froth and fervour of a girls’ grand final but the scoreline didn’t match the hype as Beaconsfield strolled to its third flag in as many campaigns.
All the usual Beaconsfield performers up forward got their hands on it early – Brooke Struylaart (three goals) roamed the midfield before heading forward, while Jess Matin (three goals), Katie Angelis (three goals) and midfield tandem Georgia Gee and Tyla Hanks (two goals apiece) finishing the job at Casey Fields.
Georgia Fisher and Lauren Hojnacki also excelled in the outing to lock down the back-line and midfield and keep pushing the ball forward.
Beacy put the nail in the coffin through the third term – seeing off a fast-start from Cranbourne to boot another four goals and assure the title with an unassailable 68-point lead.
It gave the coaches a chance to play around with the roster – sticking all the sisters together for the final siren so they wouldn’t have too far to travel to celebrate the premiership with loved ones.
Consolation goals came late for Cranbourne – but by then the match had well and truly been won.
Gallantry was personified by Cranbourne trio Courtney Jones, Katelyn Cox and Kayla Ripari while up-and-comers Hayley Certoma and Shaneece Stratton showed there’s plenty left in the Cranny tank for future fixtures.
Beaconsfield coach Troy Robinson bowed out of the South East Juniors Youth Girls coaching ranks – after four years and three premierships, including one of the more comprehensive seasons of all time this year.
“Super excited, it’s a great bunch of kids to follow their journey and be a part of it over the last three or four years has been awesome,” Robinson said.
“Matty Gee is going to take over and they’re in a good place – he’s a fantastic leader and been great for the teams so they’ll respond really nicely to him.”
Robinson thought it was the right time to farewell the team as it could not be in a stronger position going forward, with Youth Girls under-12s, the senior Youth Girls and a Beaconsfield VWFL team a possibility next season, giving girls a chance to play from dawn to dusk on their footy journeys as Eagles.
“We don’t treat them any differently – right from the stat at training they’re all switched on,” Robinson said. “We treat them with a great deal of respect and they’re a great team and the younger kids feed off the older kids and it’s great.”
Beaconsfield captain Georgia Anderson held the premiership cup aloft as her final action as a Youth Girls footballer and could not believe four years later the amount of success the club had created.
“I was at the first ever Beacy training session when we had four girls so to finish off with three premiership medals around my neck, there’s nothing better,” Anderson said.
“The premierships are always massive and winning my first premiership with my sister (Chloe) – that was the best feeling I’ve ever had.
“Just want to say a massive thank you to the coaches and all the coaching staff and the families and to the footy club for being the best footy club I could’ve ever played for and I’m so happy to finish up as a one-club player with all the positives that have come with it.”
