After a small taste on Good Friday, the Essendon District Football League Women’s competition kicks off in full this weekend.
With a massive upset to kick off the season in last season’s Division One premiers Strathmore beating the Premier Division premier Keilor, this week has a lot to live up to.
With the two Good Friday games classified as Round 2 games, all eight teams will be in again on Saturday.
The Mores, who stunned in their return to Premier Division, will be hoping to make it two in a row against Maribyrnong Park. The Mores showed they will be no easy beats, able to lift the pressure on the Blues after they failed to capitalise on their opportunities early.
Elosie Freeman showed what pre-season at VFL level can do and is ready to make the next step in her career. She leads that core group for the Mores.
The Lions were competitive for most of last season and that is what you come to expect from this season. They add in Shelley Lampard, who has previously won a club best and fairest at Brunswick, who will add some more experience to the side.
Many of the names we’re used to have returned so this shapes up as a good match.
Oak Park showed on Good Friday that they will be a team to beat this season with a convincing win against Hillside. The Kangaroos showed they had the fire power up forward, which many teams lack. Samantha German and Alex Quigley both kicked three goals in the win.
This week they face an Aberfeldie side which has been one of the more curious sides in the off season. Under new coach Rohan Hawker, Abers have managed to get some players back to the club, while building from one team back up to two.
Ileria Akers seems to be the only big out, but they’ve added several players from the VAFA. Ellie Huggard returns to the club, but is VFLW-listed.
After a slow start last season, Abers made finals and showed the most improvement across the season. Expect that to continue this season.
The other early match in the Premier Division on Saturday, is the one between the two losers from Good Friday, Keilor and Hillside.
The first up loss was somewhat of a shock for the Blues. They had their chances early in the first quarter, but wasted them and were made to pay. Despite the loss I wouldn't say there are any panic stations at Joe Brown Oval. Meanwhile, Hillside came up against a very good Oak Park.
The Sharks are a side that are looking to build on last season when inconsistency proved to be the issue. If the Sharks can put in consistent performances week in, week out, they will get some wins on the board.
The last match of the Premier Division round is between Moonee Valley and Westmeadows.
The Fog were the surprise packet last season, pushing for finals until late in the piece after coming up a division. The group will be better for the run and with Dean Rioli back as coach, it’s a group that has had success together.
Former AFL player Sophie Molan has nominated the Fog as her home club, but we shouldn’t expect to see much of her due to VFLW commitments. Courtney Ugle is another in a similar situation.
The Tigers have been one of the quieter teams in terms of announcements, but have a number of players returning this season. The club has had a core group of players, which has seen them be in the finals mix every year and that isn’t likely to change.
The side does have a new coach with Gemma Wright stepping up as a player-coach. One of the best players in the competition, Wright will bring a new spin to the Tigers as coach.
In Division One, the competition again seems like there’s a number of sides that could be contending for finals.
The opening match of the season is the two newcomers to Division One, Tullamarine and Burnside Heights.
The Demons will be looking to continue the success of last season when they claimed the Division Two premiership. The core group has stuck together and with coach Peter Labbad is one who likes to make his girls run, could be one side to benefit from 16 on the field.
Many of the girls have played at this level and against some of their opposition before like the Devine sisters, Emily Anglldis, Fallon Courts, and Tayla Hardman. This side won’t be here to just make up numbers.
The Bears come down from the Premier Division where they struggled last season. The Bears had a lot of new players and injuries last season and didn’t quite have the depth for the top division. With all their stars still there like the Stevens sisters, Kayla Ravenello, Sina Mason, and Krissy Trang, this side will be more than competitive. The key will be how that next group steps up.
Greenvale and Essendon Doutta Stars is probably the most interesting match of the weekend.
The two sides both played finals and on their day, could have easily won the premiership last year.
The Jets have lost Alex Quigley, but the rest of their stars have stuck around, with not many sides having that much top end talent.
The Stars will be an interesting team to watch this season. Shelby Myers, Georgia Sampson, and Trinity Skenderis have all moved on, while Meg Runting is playing VFLW. Mali Mcleod has crossed to the club, but is another playing VFLW. That next group needs to step up for the Stars if they are to remain in the mix.
The first of the late games is the Sunbury Lions against Pascoe Vale. The Lions have a new coaching set up and are set to blood some youngsters this season.
The big out is ruck Amy Starzer, but the Lions are confident that they can continue to get better with the new things being implemented.
Pascoe Vale’s first focus this season will be getting a side on the park each week. After having to fold midway through last season, it’s a massive effort for the club to get a side up again.
The other late game is that of Gisborne against the Sunbury Kangaroos.
The Bulldogs will be another team in the mix this season. Coming off a finals series, the Bulldogs will be hungry to take that next step. Starzer is a big in for them, as is Abbi Holt who has played more than 150 games of football.
The Kangaroos are a different looking side to last season. While there’s just one new player in the squad, many of the girls played in the club’s second side last season. While many of their stars have departed, there’s still plenty of experience in the side and they will worry some of the top teams.
Division Two is again a mixture of first and second sides.
Airport West and Coburg Districts will enter the season as the two favourites.
The Eagles went close to taking the premiership last season and will use that as motivation for this season.
With a couple of stars like Cheyene Macumber and Shaelene Montrose, who finished one-two in the league best and fairest last season, the Eagles are one of the stronger sides.
The Eagles will win this week by forfeit against Greenvale's second side.
The other first side is Coburg Districts, which has the bye in Round 1.
The Lions seem to be the bigger mover in the competition, announcing a number of new signings in recent weeks.
Elise Marchant, Sarah Docherty, Nicole McCambridge, Jess Ramos, Mikayla Aquilina, and Beth Millsteed are among the new signings.
After playing finals last season, the Lions will be hoping to build on that.
The other matches in the opening round are Aberfeldie against Maribyrnong Park and Moonee Valley against Westmeadows.
THIS WEEKEND’S FIXTURES
STRATHMORE v MARIBYRNONG PARK
Saturday 11:50am at Boeing Reserve
OAK PARK v ABERFELDIE
Saturday 11:50am at JP Fawkner Reserve
KEILOR v HILLSIDE
Saturday 11:50am at Joe Brown Oval
MOONEE VALLEY v WESTMEADOWS
Saturday 1:50pm at Ormond Park
TULLAMARINE v BURNSIDE HEIGHTS
Saturday 11:50am at Jacana Reserve
GREENVALE v ESSENDON DOUTTA STARS
Saturday 1:50pm at Greenvale Recreation Reserve - Oval 2
SUNBURY LIONS v PASCOE VALE
Saturday 4:50pm at Clarke Oval
GISBORNE v SUNBURY KANGAROOS
Saturday 4:50pm at Gardiner Reserve
ABERFELDIE 2 v MARIBYRNONG PARK 2
Saturday 11:50am at Clifton Park
MOONEE VALLEY 2 v WESTMEADOWS 2
Saturday 11:50am at Ormond Park
