Newcastle have won the inaugural Black Diamond AFL women’s representative challenge, defeating both Central Coast and Hunter in Medowie.
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The challenge, held at Ferodale Park, saw players from the GE Women’s competition form Central Coast, Hunter and Newcastle representative teams and play each other in a round robin tournament.
Newcastle and Central Coast were the first teams to contest the tournament, with the Novocastrian representatives emerging victors in a close, and interesting, opening offering.
Newcastle’s 3.6.24 to 1.6.12 may have secured them the first win, but in the opening quarter it looked like the result could go either way, as Central Coast’s Morgan Ross – who plays for Terrigal Avoca in the regular competition – slotted home for tournament’s first major.
Newcastle took the lead into the sheds after the first quarter after a late goal for Emma-Jayne Howe added to four behinds, and a three point buffer over their rivals.
The team extended their lead just 30 seconds into the second quarter after danger-woman Sarah Halvorsen made a long-ranged run into the heart of Central Coast’s defence to score a second, and Amy Pittman scored a third soon after to secure the 12-point win.
Hunter also won their opening match of the carnival at Central Coast’s expense, recovering to win by four points in a 3.5.23 to 3.1.19 thriller.
It was a tale of the goalscorers as the Black Diamond AFL Womens two leading kickers, Ange Jones and Sarah Burns, traded blows – Jones scored one for Central Coast while Burns kicked a crucial double to score Hunter the victory.
Nelson Bay’s Molly Simpson also scored for Hunter, while Ashleigh Page and Alanna Nicholson were the other two scorers for the defeated Coast squad.
In the final, deciding match of the tournament, Newcastle called on co-captain Kate Handley for a touch of magic, as the Novas leader slotted two in the 4.8.32 to 1.2.8 victory.
Amy Pittman and Sarah Halvorsen both popped up again, kicking one apiece, while Leawanna O'Donoghue scored Hunter’s only major of their second match.
In the end, the 2-0 record for Newcastle secured them the inaugural silverware, while Hunter finished with a 1-1 result. Central Coast came third with a 0-2 finish.
Kate Holland from the Nelson Bay Marlins captained the Hunter team, Emily Bohan (Wyong Lakes) led Central Coast, and Handley and Pittman combined as co-captains for the victorious Newcastle squad.
All three matches consisted of two 25-minute halves. The winner’s trophy was awarded on a win-loss record basis.
The representative challenge live stream by BarTV:
Hunter women’s team:
- B: Tori Cowburn (SIN), Natalie Heard (MUS), Amanda Smith (MAI)
- HB: Kate Holland (NB), Madeline Norton (NB)
- C: Hannah Centra (MAI), Kaitlyn Douglass (NB), Natasha Pietrzak (SIN)
- HF: Jodie Eagar (MAI), Anna Fraser (MAI)
- F: Sarah Burns (MAI), Lynan Scott (SIN), Amanda Lewis (PS)
- R: Annalise Norton (NB), Molly Simpson (NB), Sophie Balcombe (NB)
- Int: Tia Davidson (PS), Gabrielle Easey (MAI), Natasha Flint (NB), Kyah McBride (SIN), Cheyenne Neu (PS), Leawanna O'Donoghue (MAI)
Newcastle women’s team:
- B: Sheldon Janissen (LM), Sam Lawrence (WB)
- HB: Kate Booth (WB), Anna Ralston (NCN), Eloise Petersen (CAR)
- C: Matisse Coram-Parker (CAR), Tayla Braithwaite (NCS),Arizona Cross (CAR)
- HF: Claudia Russell(CAR), Sarah Halvorsen (NCS), Taylah Wilks (CAR)
- F: Kate Handley (NCN), Emma-Jayne Howe (LM)
- R: Di Crep (WB), Alyce McCloskey WWN), Amy Pittman (WB)
- Int: Sam Delaney (WB), Taylor Joyce (NCS), Jess Lashlie (NCN), Lisa Morales (WWN), Kath Stellmaker (NCN)
Central Coast women’s team:
- B: Sarah Ball (WL) Courtney Barnett (KV)
- HB: Natasha Gregory (KV), Emily Bohan (WL), Maddi Kacarovski (GOS)
- C: Dixie Butler (KV), Ashleigh Page (KV), Bethany Wood (KV)
- HF: Alexandra Pearce (WL), Angela Jones (GOS), Claire Walsh (GOS)
- F: Alanna Nicholson (WL), Morgan Ross (TA)
- R: Kanesha Murray (WL), Jocelyn Kelleher (KV), Rachael Potts (WL)
- Int: Bethany Allars (TEBB), Georgia Butler (KV), Megan Jenkins (KV), Hannah Page (KV), Darneka Rowe (TA), Orana Young (GOS)
- Emg: Jesse Graham (WL), Svenja Mueller Byrnes (GOS)
Umpires:
- Field: Jess Barnes, Rachael Robinson
- Boundary: Zale Mertens, Luke Richens
- Goal: Janelle Biden, Michael Barnes