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Rogers Cup Team 2023 Grand Final Winners

Tuesday, July 25, 2023 - 4:30 PM
A year that has delivered so much, but as coach Scott Kounis had said, the team had achieved nothing to that point.
Through the home and away season the team had been challenged a few times and answered each one in a positive way completing the Regular Season undefeated.
Meeting South Fremantle in the second semi, which they dealt with in a professional team orientated fashion.
Come Grand Final day, it was perfect weather conditions and Mineral Resources Park was in exceptional condition.
The coach’s work was effectively done, it was up to the players from that point, with only 4 players who had experienced the 2021 premiership (Chloe Shearing, Tayla Anthony, Jekylah Garlett and Chanel Scott) but they were spread enough throughout the lines to be able to settle the nerves of those around them.
The match started with three mins of tense footy, given it was a Grand Final, it is normally expected to be a messy and uncontrolled style as each team tried to work out each other and be the first to get the settling score.
South Fremantle was that team, which came from a long kick into the goal square where a mark was dropped but a quick snap resulted in the goal.
The physicality was certainly up early by both sides and while South Fremantle continued to attack, it was Sophie Fisher and Paige Dodunski who were able to repel those early attacks.
Hayley Bidefeld started to get possessions and run down the outside wing and created some inside 50’s, and Olivia Colotti and Kaitlyn Roper also started to win the inside ball.
The Bulldogs in their attempt to muscle the Falcons in the contest became undisciplined resulting in a couple of 50m penalties, but the Falcons unable to get deep inside 50 in the first quarter, enabling the Bulldogs to rebound out easily.
Paige Dodunski attacking from deep defence with confidence, Zara Deschamps mobility and speed was able to keep South Fremantle from adding to the scoreboard and with Kaitlyn Roper patrolling well across midfield driving the ball forward. South Fremantle threw everything at West Perth, but the defence was up to the task and while the ball lived predominantly in the South Fremantle half of the ground it only resulted in the solitary goal, which meant West Perth only faced and 8-point deficit.
The second quarter saw the intensity go up another level as West Perth started to match the physicality of South Fremantle, the high-pressure creating lots of turnovers, missed handballs and plenty of kicks skewing off the side of the boot.
Samara Sallie who had been thereabouts in the first quarter, started to have more of an influence across half back with some solid marking and runs and then long kicking into the open spaces on the wing.
Sophie Fisher was solid in defence and her long kicks down the outer wing matching Samara Sallie’s efforts, she was ably supported by Olivia Colotti working hard across half back to ensure there was no damage added to the scoreboard.
Kaitlyn Roper continued her good start to the match gaining possessions all over the ground and popping up at the right time to thwart many South Fremantle attacks.
After 10 mins of solid, hard-fought football, the Bulldogs were able take full account of their opportunities and score a second goal from a chain of long kicks and a shark from a pack and snap.
West Perth continued to search for some drive forward and were struggling to get the game on their terms.
SF able to stem the run by getting plenty of numbers to every contest forcing West Perth to be under continual pressure creating turnovers are peppering the scoreboard, but for all the first half dominance, the Bulldogs were only going to take a 16-point lead into the main break, so the Falcons were certainly not out of the game by any means.
After the main break the hostilities continued, very scrambly start to the third quarter, but was evident early was Mia Russo, who had been quiet in the first half was just forcing her way back into the contest to try shake of the heavy tag she was receiving from South Fremantle.
West Perth was able to get a couple of consecutive entries into their forward 50 for the first time in the match with the help of some long entries off the boot of Leuca Krmpotic and while no majors they were able to get the scoreboard to tick over.
With some heavy work by Mia Russo and Samara Sallie they were able to create a turnover right in front of goal by winning a free kick. Samara then got West Perth’s first real strike of the match 6-minutes into the third quarter.
After a period of frenetic football which was highlighted by strong tackling by both sides, but it was clear that West Perth were now matching if not leading the arm-wrestle, which was highlighted by a three on one against the Falcons deep inside their defensive 50, but Maddi Taylor was able to prevent any chance of scoring and force a stoppage.
More of the Falcons were getting involved in the contest, Chloe Smoker charging through packs off half back to clear the ball to the wing, Mia Robis was also working hard from the midfield and Kyra Abbott was working further up the ground to then take it forward into the 50-metre arc and then was following up to continue that good work in the forward line.
The few times that South Fremantle were able to get in the half of the ground Zara Deschamps was there to ensure it didn’t stay there.
With just over a minute to play Jekylah Garlett intercepted a South Fremantle clearance and was able to get it to the top of the 50-metre arc, where Kaitlyn Roper managed to get the loose ball dodge past three South Fremantle players and find Chloe Shearing who took a good contested mark and as the siren sounded the kick was true for the Falcons second goal of the quarter to bring the margin to a slim 2-points going into the last quarter.
With the game up for grabs the start of the last quarter, it was again South Fremantle who had struggled to get it forward in the third quarter, had a chance to jump out to a two-score lead but the shot went wide giving West Perth a let off.
While South Fremantle were holding ground advantage each time they tried to attack inside their forward 50, Kaitlyn Roper popped up with telling marks and immediately sent it back out and when she was up the ground it was the height and strength of Isabella Hill that was too difficult to avoid.
After holding sway for the first 10minutes of the quarter South Fremantle could only manage the single point, it was at that point West Perth swung the momentum back their way and started to get repeated inside 50’s of their own, they were just not able to penetrate the Bulldog defence to score.
5 minutes out and a deliberate rushed behind by South Fremantle resulted in a free kick directly beside the behind post, which proved too tight for Samara Sallie to score, the resultant clearance landed with Chloe Shearing who had a long shot, but it went wide and was out of bounds. The Falcons were certainly attacking hard, but with less than 5 minutes were unable to get the go-ahead goal.
South Fremantle were eventually able to clear up to the back of the centre square, but after a mad scramble in the centre Abbey Brimson was able to drive it back the Falcons way, where Kyra Abbott marked on the arc, her long kick made it to the goal square, South Fremantle able to gain possession, but a Hayley Bidefeld tackle wrenched it free straight into the arms of Molly Conroy who had a check-side kick with her right foot and the ball went through to put West Perth in front for the first time in the match and sent the pro-Falcons crowd into ruptures.
Question now was could the Falcons hang on, the centre clearance went straight back the Bulldogs way and with several marks and attempts to return fire which all failed, West Perth were able to bottle it up in the pocket as the siren sounded for a very memorable Premiership win. West Perth now claiming 2 of the last 3 Grand Finals. It certainly is a Grand Old Flag in 2023.

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