VFLW Match Report: Round 13 vs Essendon
21/07/2025
In windy conditions the Zebs gave it their all but just fell short in a nail biter.
Photography by Anthony Vella
We headed down to Windy Hill on Saturday and it didn’t take long for us to understand why the ground was appropriately named, as the ball was being sent in every direction as the wind swirled around.
Ali Hynes started the game off strong, winning multiple ruck contests, while the midfielders did a good job moving the ball to the outside and getting it out of the congestion cleanly.
Arianna Clarke led from the front, using her leg speed and racing away from the contest for a clearance.
Both sides displayed elite pressure, but we were working hard at navigating through the herds of players and getting the ball moving forward.
Hynes was left vulnerable under a high ball, but as always, she had no fear putting her body on the line, securing the mark on the wing while taking a massive hit.
It was now time for Alison Downie to go into the ruck and from the get-go she was a force, winning every hit out and allowing the midfielders to get their hands on the footy.
The scores were even at the end of the first quarter with neither side being able to get on the board in the windy conditions.
Abbey Tregellis made the most of our rucks getting on top, with 10 disposals and four clearances in just the first quarter.
The Bombers started to get on top at the beginning of the second, but Deanna Jolliffe put a halt to their attack, intercepting the play and clearing any danger.
Moments later Sophie Locke took a great mark on the wing and wasted no time sending the ball forward, where a few plays later, Lilly Skinner rose above the pack, taking a huge contested mark inside the 50.
Essendon were now feeling the heat, first Grace Hodder took down her opponent and won a holding the ball free, then when it finally looked like the Bombers had cleared their defensive 50 with an easy uncontested mark, Jordan Membrey ripped the ball out of the defender's hands mid mark.
Time was ticking down to end the half and while we were still dominating, we couldn’t afford to end the period without it showing on the scoreboard, which is when Clarke stepped up.
Under siege again, Essendon were panicking and bombed the ball out of their defence where Clarke calmly intercepted it, but her opponent was so terrified of a quick slingshot attack, she ran straight over the mark, giving away a 50-metre penalty.
She now had a set shot from 20 metres out directly in front, but in these conditions, it was no certainty, but as she has done all season, Clarke sent her kick straight through the middle, where moments later the siren sounded, and we took a one-point lead into the rooms at halftime.
The goal was the cherry on top of what was a great quarter for Clarke as at the half she had 11 touches, two marks and the goal.
Somehow in the second half, the wind was getting even stronger, making launching an attack for either side a challenge, meaning the ball was living in the contest.
It was no problem for Clarke and Emma Stuber as they forced a Bomber straight over the side line with their pressure alone.
Tayla Kearns was also thriving, laying a massive tackle and setting the tone for her teammates.
After a hard-fought quarter, we went into the fourth down by five points.
Essendon once more started the quarter strong, but Courtney Aughtie was turning into a brick wall - anytime the ball was near her in the back half, she’d rake it in and easily find a teammate in safety,
Hodder continued to run the game out as she picked up a loose ball and sent it into the forward 50.
A few re-entries later, the ball was spoiled into the lap of Makhaela Bluhm, where she fired off a quick handball finding Ash Patton out the back, but with two Bombers hot on her tail.
It was no problem though as Patton collected the ball, made both Bombers fly past her and then sent a snap flying through for a goal, and now with 11 minutes left, we were down by five, but had plenty of time to launch a comeback.
Once more Aughtie was ensuring we wouldn’t concede another score as she took two more massive intercept marks deep in defence, but with the wind and time against us, unfortunately it was too much to overcome, and we went down by five points.
Tregellis had one of her best games of the season finishing with 27 disposals, three marks, 12 tackles and eight clearances, while Clarke was also a standout with one goal, 21 touches, four marks and three clearances.
Sandringham Zebras: 0.0 1.2 1.2 2.2 (14)
Essendon: 0.0 1.1 2.1 3.1 (19)
Goals: Ash Patton 1, Arianna Clarke 1
Disposals: Abbey Tregellis 27, Jordan Membrey 23, Arianna Clarke 21, Grace Hodder 19, Beth Pinchin 16
Visit the VFL website for full stats.
With only one round left, we are just two points off second place.
The VFLW has a week off, but our home and away season will conclude on Sunday 3rd August against North Melbourne at Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval at 9:45am.
Written by Thomas Dev - Sandringham FC Media