IT’S a huge match for Wedge-Tailed Eagles and White Hills on Sunday as the Champions IGA-backed CVFL senior women’s footy competition marks its 17th round.
The Eagles and Demons roll into the match at Woodend’s Racecourse Reserve locked on 28 points as they sit fifth and sixth on the ladder.
An Eagles’ team coached by Phil Hawkes has superior percentage to the fourth-placed Eaglehawk which plays Castlemaine on Friday night at The Railway Hotel Oval in Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve.
The showdown between the Eagles and Demons will start at 11am.
When they met in Indigenous Round it was the Eagles who landed a 41-13 victory in the Demons’ den in Scott Street.
Both teams are on the rebound from defeat.
The Eagles were beaten in the Pink Round match against Castlemaine in Woodend by 21 points.
White Hills was on the end of a 141-point drubbing from the ladder-leading Golden Square.
Key players for the Wedge-Tailed Eagles include Teagan Ainslie, Jorja Bennett, Alicia Chadwick, Brooke Cowan, Mairead Murphy, Ayesha Nicholson and Dana Raguz.
A key to the chances of the Sharni Barker and Allara Jackson-coached White Hills will be the play of Tracey Anderson, Courtney Collard, Acacia Edwards, Ella Henery, Sasha Pearce, Shauna Roy and Pearl Sullivan.
The round kicks off with Friday night’s match between Castlemaine and Eaglehawk in the Magpies’ nest at Camp Reserve from 7.30m.
The Jordan Cochrane-coached Castlemaine scored a 71-9 win on Eaglehawk’s turf at C and M Oval in Canterbury Park in the 14th round.
In-form players for the Magpies include captain Tiahna Cochrane, Eillish Cumming, Alice D’Arcy, Paynton Jollife and Marguerita Murphy.
A club which is chasing a fifth consecutive premiership has Tiffany Bradley, Abbey Klemm and Emma Pedretti in its squad.
Eaglehawk dominated the Pink Round clash with Bendigo Thunder at C and M Oval to win by 159 points.
A superb performance by the Molly Metcalf-coached Hawks was led by Lucy El Hage, Caitlin Evans, Emily Galtieri, Monique Gavriliadis, Kelly Mensforth and Lilly Stevenson.
The Two Blues’ squad team bound for Castlemaine includes Eliza Long, Neve Nisbet and Shanae Sawyer.
On Sunday it’s Sandhurst against a red-hot Golden Square at Queen Elizabeth Oval from 1pm.
Massive challenge for the Dragons who were beaten by 109 points when they played on Golden Square’s ground at Gourmet Pantry Oval in the 14th round.
Sandhurst had a rest last Sunday as Marong forfeited the match planned to be played on the QEO.
The Sandhurst line-up to play the blue and gold includes Sarah Baldwin, Chloe Swatton and Chloe Taylor in defence; Lauren Suleiman in the centre; Chelsea Reeves and Charlotte Scanlon in attack.
Katrina Alford was named in the ruck for Sandhurst and will team up with on-ballers Lily Campbell and Phoebe Cuttriss.
The Liam Ireland and Andrew Saladino-coached Sandhurst is third in the premiership race on a 12-4 record.
Huge test for a Sandhurst defence against Golden Square forwards Gabby Drage, Kira Gibbons, Lucy Gilbee and Gemma Roberts.
The Golden Square team coached by Darren Walsh includes Ruby Demeo, Liz Watkins and Mackenzie Bickley across midfield, and a defence led by Kate Douglass, Karley Hynes and Lauren Knight.
Best for the Mick McInnes-coached Thunder in last Sunday’s match with Eaglehawk were Shasta Martion, Ngaire Harlan, Samantha O’Meara, Hollie Maher, Sarah Lean and Helen Barclay.
Champions IGA-backed CVFL senior women’s footy ladder after 16 rounds:
Golden Square 852 per cent, 56 points; Castlemaine 365, 56; Sandhurst 253, 48; Eaglehawk 145, 32; Wedge-Tailed Eagles 153, 28; White Hills 80, 28; Bendigo Thunder 4, 8; Marong 2, 0.
Leaders in the goalkicking race:
64 Gabby Drage, GS.
38 Kira Gibbons, GS.
24 Jorja Bennett, WTE.
22 Grace Campbell, Sh; Emma Williams, WTE.
21 Shelby Knoll, Cm.
20 Tiahna Cochrane, Cm.
17 Molly Metcalf, Eh.
16 Kelly Mensforth, Eh; Taylah Moore, GS; Gemma Roberts, GS.
15 Lily Campbell, Sh.
14 Charlotte Scanlon, Sh; Lilly Stevenson, Eh.
13 Seisia White, WH.
12 Brooke Cowan, WTE; Lily Mansfield, GS; Sasha Pearce, WH; Liz Watkins, GS.
Round 14 in the Champions IGA-backed CVFL under-18 girls footy competition kicks off with Friday night’s match between Castlemaine and Kangaroo Flat at Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve from 5.30pm.
Four matches on Sunday start at 11am.
Golden Square faces Woorinen at Gourmet Pantry Oval in Golden Square’s Wade Street.
Marong takes on neighbouring Eaglehawk at Jackal Oval in Marong’s Malone Park.
Sandhurst and Storm clash at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Echuca United will play White Hills at Echuca South Recreation Reserve.
Champions IGA-backed CVFL under-18 girls ladder after 13 rounds:
Woorinen 523 per cent, 52 points, 100 match ratio; Storm 161, 40, 76; White Hills 129, 36, 75; Eaglehawk 134, 36, 69; Marong 106, 28, 53; Sandhurst 90, 16, 36; Echuca United 81, 18, 34; Castlemaine 68, 16, 30; Kangaroo Flat 58, 6, 12; Golden Square 26, 4, 7.
Leaders in the goalkicking race:
31 Matilda Rose, KF.
26 Prue O’Sullivan, W.
21 Zoe Hodgskiss, Eh.
19 Molly Austin, M.
18 Jada Dennis, EU; Etta Place, Sh.
17 Ava Bartlett, Cm.
16 Stella Bibby, W.
14 Jayda Alford, WH; Maddison Collard, WH; Alyssa Wardell, M.
13 Lana Brooks, W; Jorja Cunningham, S’saye; Tianna Shay, M; Marlie Skinner, S’saye.
12 Adele McNaughton, WH.
11 Charli Conway, W; Kirra Molloy, S’saye.