BY NATHAN DOLE
CASTLEMAINE will chase back-to-back Champions IGA-backed CVFL senior women’s footy premierships in Friday night’s grand final against Woorinen.
The Magpies and Tigers have racked up thousands of kilometres across a 14-round home-and-away series to reach the season decider.
The fight for the premiership cup starts at 7pm under the lights at Bendigo’s iconic Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Unbeaten in its run to another grand final, Castlemaine will start favourite.
Just as Castlemaine did a year ago, Woorinen has marked its first season in the CVFL senior women’s action by contesting a grand final.
The Tigers will be aiming to emulate the Magpies’ feat of ’22 and take the cup back north.
It’s a daunting task for the Katelyn Hazlett-coached Woorinen in trying to stop the mighty Magpies.
Victorious in all 12 matches in the regular season, Castlemaine had an incredible percentage of 985.
The Tigers marked a win-loss tally of 9-3 and 301 per cent.
A formidable Castlemaine team coached by Jordan Cochrane includes this season’s league fairest and best in Aisling Tupper, and gun forward Eloise Gretgrix.
Although she played just seven matches in the home-and-away series, Tupper was adjudged best afield in all to claim the league’s highest individual honour.
Now the goal is to add a premiership medal to the collection.
Among the many key match-ups for Woorinen will be who takes on Tupper and Gretgrix.
The Magpies have nine players who were in last season’s 19-point grand final win against Golden Square.
Ella and Tiahna Cochrane, Emily Cooper, Jemma Finning, Meg Ginnivan, Beppina Marshall, Emma Pedretti, Taylah Sartori and Aisling Tupper are aiming to join the back-to-back premiers club.
A Tigers’ defence that includes co-captains Tenay Fellows and Casy Unger, as well as Sophie Peacock and Tiana Shepherd faces a huge task.
Gretgrix is the key target as 52 goals in 11 matches attests, but it’s not all about her.
The Magpies also have Abbey Bertram, Tiffany Bradley and Tiahna Cochrane capable of capping off attacking moves.
Midfield duels on the big ground are crucial.
The Tigers have Freda Wosomo, Izabella Palermo and Sheridan Gallagher up against Lily den Houting, Pies’ co-captain Emily Cooper, and Meg Ginnivan, a joint winner of the league fairest and best in ’22.
Woorinen will look to Donal Fellows, Natasha Kelly and Remi Maher to capitalise on chances in attack.
It will not be easy against Taylah Sartori, Ella Cochrane and Beppina Marshall in a tight-knit Magpies’ defence.
When these teams met in the second semi-final at Eaglehawk’s Canterbury Park it was the Magpies who took control in the second half.
The Pies led 39-12 at half-time and then scored 3.2 to 0.2 in the third.
Both teams added seven points in the last as the ‘Maine won 66-34.
Gretgrix kicked five goals to be among the best with Jemma Finning, Emma Pedretti, Tiahna Cochrane, Meg Ginnivan and Lily den Houting.
The Tigers’ attack was led by Natasha Kelly on three goals.
Best for Woorinen were Sophie Peacock, Jemma Meehan, Izabella Palermo, Natasha Kelly, Donal Fellows and Madeleine Jeans.
The Tigers struck back from that defeat to earn a shot at premiership glory by winning last Friday night’s preliminary final against Eaglehawk at the QEO.
A great contest under the QEO lights between the yellow and black against the Two Blues ended in a 33-25 win for Woorinen.
Izabella Palermo, Freda Wosomo, Carlee Hazlett, Madeleine Jeans, Emma and Sophie Peacock led the Tigers’ charge.
The grand finalists met in the 10th round which was dubbed Super Sunday when the CVFL had all three matches played at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Castlemaine led 30-6 at the long break and then scored 12.5 to 1.2 in the second half for a 16.11 (107) to 2.2 (14) victory.
Gretgrix kicked six as Tiahna Cochrane added four and Tiffany Bradley and Lily den Houting chipped in with two.
Woorinen hosted the Magpies in the fourth round in Tigers’ territory.
On that day the Magpies won 73-23 as Charlotte Beavan and Eloise Gretgrix kicked three goals and Emily Cooper added two.
Goalkicking lists for both teams:
Castlemaine – 52 Eloise Gretgrix; 18 Tiffany Bradley; 13 Abbey Bertram; 12 Aisling Tupper; 9 Tiahna Cochrane, Ainsley Taft; 8 Charlotte Beavan, Lily den Houting, Eve Sheehan; 7 Ella Cochrane, Jemma Finning; 6 Jo Allan; 5 Meg Ginnivan; 4 Emily Cooper, Eillish Cumming; 3 Rachel Thomas; 2 Georgia Gribble; Beppina Marshall, Sheryl Rose; 1 Megan Anley, Chloe Butcher, Rebekkah Forest, Taylah Sartori.
Woorinen – 36 Donal Fellows; 21 Natasha Kelly; 11 Tenay Fellows, Remi Maher; 10 Carlee Hazlett; 8 Leonie Schulz; 5 Sophie Peacock, Freda Wosomo; Kerri-Ann Zeunert; 4 Samantha Johnston; 3 Sheridan Gallagher, Emma Peacock, Tiana Shepherd; 2 Rachael Booth, Madeleine Jeans, Izabella Palermo, Melinda Taylor; 1 Katelyn Hazlett, Maddy Price, Alice Tongpao, Emilie Ward, Freda Wosomo.
Castlemaine’s run to the grand final:
Round 1: d North Bendigo, 235-0.
Round 2: d Eaglehawk, 51-18.
Round 3: d Strathfieldsaye, 172-0.
Round 4: d Woorinen, 73-23.
Round 5: d Golden Square, 58-2.
Round 6, Indigenous Round: d Bendigo Thunder, 49-30.
Round 7: bye.
Round 8: d North Bendigo, 75-0.
Round 9, Pink Round: d Eaglehawk, 57-12.
Round 10, Super Sunday: d Woorinen, 107-14.
Round 11: d Strathfieldsaye, 121-0.
Round 12: d Bendigo Thunder, 82-14.
Round 13, Pride Round: d Golden Square, 93-6.
Round 14: bye.
Second semi-final: d Woorinen, 66-34.
Woorinen’s run to the grand final:
Round 1: bye.
Round 2: Bendigo Thunder, 54-16.
Round 3: lt Golden Square, 22-27.
Round 4: lt Castlemaine, 23-73.
Round 5: d Eaglehawk, 64-1.
Round 6, Indigenous Round: d North Bendigo, 120-0.
Round 7: d Strathfieldsaye, 135-0.
Round 8: bye.
Round 9, Pink Round: d Bendigo Thunder, 89-12.
Round 10, Super Sunday: lt Castlemaine, 14-107.
Round 11: d Golden Square, 77-21.
Round 12: d North Bendigo, 150-9.
Round 13, Pride Round: d Eaglehawk, 52-34.
Round 14: d Strathfieldsaye, 107-1.
Second semi-final: lt Castlemaine, 34-66.
Preliminary final: d Eaglehawk, 33-25.