It was their third outing and their third victory, as Rohenna Young's team took to the field at Xavier College and quelled the threat from the Brighton Grammar invaders.

The VAFA's grading season is complete and now there seems little doubt that this band of sisters is destined for a superior ranking for season 2017.

Winning, rather than impressing the Association brass, was first and foremost on the minds of the team as they commenced their 2:00pm duel. Like the Xavs, the Tonners had cruised in their first two outings and a tight first quarter promised a close contest.

The large and enthusiastic crowd cheered on the home team, debutantes on the hallowed fields of Barkers Road.

The X Girls kicked just one goal in each of the first three terms, but then added two in the last. At the other end, the Tonners were held out by the resolute defence that just refuses to concede a goal.

There will be challenges ahead, but this is a team that plays together and improves every outing. They will be up in class from next weekend's round, but no-one is yet putting a ceiling on this team's performance.

Coach Young reports:

The game started off perfectly with a quick centre clearance, kick and mark at CHF,  and kick and mark 20m out and goal (Grace Knox) in the first minute of the game.

The perfection was not to last as an injury to our FF directly after that saw her out for the rest of the game. A concussion quickly followed as well as another game-ending injury were all big blows to the team.  The ball was mostly in our half for the first quarter with a few points scored for both teams.  

In the Second quarter,  we had another player knocked out and stretchered off, but the really pleasing thing is that throughout all of this, the players were doing the right things, playing within the game style and structures we set out, and others were standing up when taking the place of those that could not return.

The running handballs were fantastic as well as the hard help out  bumping, smothering and shepherds. The Brighton girls were tough at the ball and putting us under a lot of pressure – making each player earn their possessions.

Em Archer and Gabby Golds were solid throughout getting many of our clearances from stoppages. Ruby Lucas was outstanding at FB, marking everything and running the ball out of defence.  She also moved into the ruck for some of the game where she continued to dominate.  Riley Christgoergl played her first game of the season and was also very strong at CHB stopping the ball on many occasions entering Brighton’s forward line, and then pushing us back into attack – she also kicked the final goal of the day from the boundary set shot after following the contest downfield.

Other goal kickers were Amy Livingstone in the 3rd with a lead and mark from FF, and it seems typical from the previous games that Mia Tiernan and Gabby Golds will chime in with an on-the-run goal.  The very clear thing for this game, and a theme running though all of the three games so far, is that the girls are very much working together and each player is stepping up to do their part when required.

It might sound clichéd, but it really was a hard fought team effort with each and every one of them playing a contributing role in the win.

Old Xaverians   1.1-7      2.3-15   3.3-21      5.7-37

Old Brighton     0.2-2    0.3-3    0.4-4       0.4-4

Goal Kickers: R. Christgoergl , M. Tiernan, A. Livingstone, G. Knox, G. Golds
Best Players: G. Golds, R. Lucas, G. Chester, M. Tiernan, R. Christgoergl , E. Archer