COBURG DISTRICTS v SUNBURY LIONS
Saturday 12:10pm at Sewell Reserve
🎥 Streamer
It’s the battle of the Lions in the Airport Toyota Women’s Division Two grand final.
The two top teams all year, Coburg Districts and the Sunbury Lions, have managed to hold off the challengers to make it to the final game of the year.
Both teams finished with 10 wins for the season with two losses, including beating each other once, with Sunbury’s big percentage earning the minor premiership.
It’s been a journey for both teams to get to the grand final.
Districts has been building towards this since their first season in 2019.
It took them two years to get a win due to the pandemic and then in 2021, they were third when the season was called off.
The next two years they finished third and were knocked out in the first week of the finals.
This year they won their first final to win through to their first grand final.
Maria Carbone is the only player from the club’s first ever side to be part of the semi final win this year.
For Sunbury, it’s been a journey as well.
A successful club that’s had a strong junior program has had to rebuild the last few years.
They last played finals in 2018 before being relegated after 2019.
Sunbury was flying in 2021 in Division Two before being promoted into Division One during the season, and after 2023 it was relegated back into Division Two.
This season it was the best team all season and won the minor premiership. A slight hiccup and a number of injuries didn’t stop the side as it won through to the decider.
The grand final shapes up as an interesting match that could go either way as the three other matches between the sides have.
Sunbury has been the best team both offensively and defensively this season but Districts has tested them.
Only three times this season has Sunbury conceded more than two goals, two of them in losses to Coburg Districts.
Offensively, Sunbury has been kept to just one goal in the losses to Districts.
How Sunbury shapes up in the front half will be one of the more interesting aspects heading into the game.
Competition leading goal kicker Natachia Abela is suspended, while Bianca Pepper, who has kicked 13 goals for the season, hasn’t played since Round 6.
Amy Clendenning, who sits equal third for Sunbury, didn’t play in the preliminary final, while Emily Taylor, who is also in the top five for Sunbury, is under an injury cloud with a broken finger.
Veterans Jaimee-lee Wilson and Krystie Dudley will play major roles in the set up come Saturday along with Brianna Spratling.
Wilson has played in all three of the Lions premierships, while Dudley was part of the 2015 premiership as well.
Districts' offence isn’t as potent as Sunbury’s but they have shared the goals around a bit more. Liv Woods leads the way with 19, while Jacinta Brew is the only other player in double figures with 15.
Defensively, Coburg Districts has improved as the season went on.
In its last seven games, which includes two against the Sunbury Lions, it has conceded a total of four goals.
Woods is the key player for Districts heading into the grand final.
She was named best in Districts’ two wins against Sunbury. She dominated the ruck early in the first final and is a danger up forward.
She’s surrounded by plenty of experience as well in all three sections of the ground.
Karla Tentonello and Jorja McKenna both fought back into the game in the second half in the ruck of the semi final, but neither played the preliminary final.
Eden Grant did the ruck work and was best on ground in the preliminary final, but is one of three Calder Cannons players set to return to Coates Talent League duties.
Sunbury's three Cannons players aren't expected to play, which will be a big loss with all three named in the best in the preliminary final.
Both teams should be familiar enough with Sewell Reserve having each played a game on it and enjoying wins.
The grand final will be won by which team can convert its dominance on the scoreboard when they have control.
The first time they played, Sunbury did just that, while Coburg Districts did it the next two times.
Districts come in fresh after a week off, while Sunbury is banged up with a number of injuries.
Coburg Districts will bring plenty of confidence from its semi final win and will want to build on that performance.
The team Sunbury is able to put on the park will be one thing to watch. The side will fight hard, but does it have the depth to overcome all its injuries and win a first EDFL women's premiership?
