The Victorian team completed a clean sweep of the 2013 Championships!
After recording an average winning margin of 78 points in the preliminary rounds, the Victorian team had to work hard in the grand final as WA kept them to just one goal in the first quarter. Kate Brennan was able to kick her ninth goal of the Championship to give the Victorian team an eight point quarter time lead.
Brennan was dominant up forward for Victoria, and despite only kicking the one goal for the grand final was pivotal in setting up her teammates and keeping the ball in her sides forward half. Championship leading goal scorer Jasmine Garner scored two second quarter goals as Victoria found the form that had seen enter the 2013 Championship Grand Final as the favourite. Goals by Emma Kearney and Steph Chiocci helped Victoria to a 31-point half time lead.
The second half did not see Victoria dominate the scoreboard as they had in the second term, but the likes of Alicia Eva and Melissa Hickey continued to push the ball forward to give their side every opportunity. Chiocci kicked her second goal, and continued to show why she would later be named in the All Australian side for her consistent form during the Championship. Her goal was the sole major of the third term, as Victoria could start to celebrate with a 38-point lead at three quarter time.
While Shelley Matcham scored WA’s only goal of the Grand Final in the last quarter, Victoria answered through Garner with her third – and 13th for the Championship – helping lead Victoria to a 37-point win. Katie Brennan was the stand out up forward for Victoria in the Grand Final and was awarded the best on ground medal.
Victoria was rewarded for their Championship win by not only taking home the title, but were recognised with 10 representatives in the All Australian team (see below). In other awards Jasmine Garner was the Division One leading goal kicker with 13 goals, four ahead of teammate Brennan.
Victoria 1.2 5.4 6.7 7.8 (50)
Western Australia 0.0 0.3 0.5 1.7 (13)
GOALS
Victoria: Jasmine Garner 3, Chiocci 2, Brennan, Kearney
Western Australia: Matcham
BEST
Victoria: Brennan, Chiocci, Loynes, Hickey, Stevens, Hutchins
Western Australia: Matcham, Donnellan, Mascall, Player, Bentley, Lugg