Pigeons fall short but still in the game

Goals: Madeleine Allan 15, Kaleisha Pell 13, Bridget Cassar 4

The Pigeons’ season continued on Saturday in Corowa on a wet and windy spring afternoon, going down to Wodonga Raiders 42–33.

Conditions were far from ideal, and combined with fierce defensive pressure from both sides, they made for a scrappy opening. The Pigeons struggled to convert their opportunities in the forward third and found themselves behind at quarter-time.

After the first break, the game settled into a more competitive rhythm.

While it was not always pretty and perhaps featured more body contact than the football being played across the road, the Pigeons began to grind their way back into the contest.

The third quarter was the Pigeons’ best, as they drew closer to the Raiders and put themselves within striking distance. Lauren Nolan, coming into the side from B Grade, added something different at the defensive end and made a valuable contribution.

Defensively, the Pigeons could be pleased with their ability to restrict the Raiders’ scoring opportunities. Unfortunately, they were just not able to make enough of their own chances count when they had the ball in hand.

The final quarter began frantically before a serious incident saw the game take a difficult turn.

Star defender Maisee Pell landed heavily on her hip, leaving her out of the game. The club wishes Maisee all the very best for her recovery, with what will undoubtedly be a difficult road back for the young star. The incident appeared to rattle both sides, and from there, the game lost some of its earlier intensity before eventually petering out, with the Raiders securing their place in the grand final.

For the Pigeons, there is no time to dwell on the result. They now face the Bulldogs on Sunday in Albury, with a place in the grand final still up for grabs.

The Pigeons’ finals record has been well documented, showing their determination to feature year in, year out in finals. This experience will be invaluable as they prepare to face a young and determined Bulldogs outfit.

B Grade

B Grade through to Grand Final

Yarrawonga 43 def Lavington 32

Awards: Lauren Nolan & Jac Oswald

Ruthless from the opening whistle, Lauren Nolan and Grace Stillard set the tone in circle defence, applying relentless pressure and keeping Lavington to under 10 goals in the first three quarters, making life difficult for the opposition attack.

Out of defence, Jac Oswald and Kristy Davis were outstanding, driving the ball forward with purpose, giving and going, and creating plenty of headaches for the opposition midcourt. Their work rate and ability to transition the ball set up countless opportunities for the team.

Sarah Moore and Ellie Urquhart were strong, accurate and full of class, delivering when it mattered and providing plenty of composure throughout the contest.

This was a true full-team effort. The flexibility and versatility across the entire team was exceptional, with seamless changes made throughout the game and everyone stepping up when called upon.

It was a determined and impressive semi-final performance that keeps the Pigeons firmly in the hunt and sets them up for another crack at the premiership.

Bring on the next one.