Women's momentous but tough Grand Final

By David Holliday On a beautiful winter’s day, the sun was shining as the girls headed to Moama to play in their first grand final. Having only been a side for three years, it was a momentous achievement just to get there, but we knew the task ahead was going to be huge. Shepparton United hadn't lost a game all year and had comfortably beaten every side they had played. They had former AFLW and current VFLW players on their list, but our girls had been preparing for this contest for the entire back half of the season. For eight weeks, we had been working on the structures and strategies we thought could give us a chance. The girls arrived with confidence and a little bit of belief that they could pull off a major upset. Standing there watching them line up for the national anthem, I had a real sense of admiration for what this group had done. From the opening bounce, Mansfield took it right up to them. We won plenty of football through the middle and spent probably 60 to 70 per cent of the first quarter in our forward half. Unfortunately, United's defence was incredibly well drilled and kept us from getting the reward on the scoreboard. At the other end, their ability to transition quickly hurt us, with three goals in a short burst giving them the advantage. The girls didn't drop their heads. After a few small adjustments at quarter-time, they went straight back to work and continued making United earn everything. They managed only one goal in the second quarter and at half-time we were still right in the contest. Unfortunately, the strength and talent of United started to show in the second half. With no bench, our girls began to tire and United were able to take the game away from us. But our girls never backed down, never stopped running and never stopped throwing themselves into the contest. The scoreboard at the end probably didn't reflect how tough the game was or the effort our girls put in. To even make the grand final with the numbers we've had this year, while competing against clubs from much bigger areas, was an unbelievable effort. The success of this season isn't defined by one game. I couldn't be prouder of the women who represented our club, our town and themselves this year. They didn't let themselves down for a second, and the praise they received from the opposition and the league after the game was a testament to what they have achieved. Hopefully this is the start of something really special for women's football in Mansfield. We have some absolute stars in this team and if we can get a few more girls to come on the journey with us, there's no reason we can't continue to compete with the powerhouses of this competition. Lastly, thank you to the club, our sponsors, supporters and everyone around Mansfield who has supported the girls throughout the year. And most importantly, thank you to the girls for never giving up, for always playing football the right way and for the culture they have created together. They have been a great example for the young women of our town. It's a great honour to be their coach, and I couldn't be happier with what they've achieved this year. See you in 2027.