Borough through to the 2023 rebel VFLW Grand Final with 30-point win over reigning premiers
By Gabby Woods on July 24, 2023
Port Melbourne have advanced to the 2023 rebel VFLW Grand Final after defeating Essendon at ETU Stadium on Sunday. Port took home the win in one of the best displays of Borough footy for 2023. The final score stood Port Melbourne 6.5.41 to Essendon 1.5.11.
Emily Harley was pivotal for the Borough against Essendon, kicking three goals and gaining 16 disposals for the day. Harley’s strong marks and accuracy in front of goal assisted the Borough to secure the win. Jessie Williams was everywhere gaining 18 disposals for the game and Eliza Morrison was also dominant, finding the Sherrin 17 times.
Laura Wright was instrumental in Ports midfield, she managed to lay a team high 10 tackles and gained 12 disposals. Isobel Hartog was ball hungry putting their body on the line in times when the Borough needed it most, they ended the day with 12 disposals and nine tackles.
The game started off slow for both teams with no majors being scored in the first quarter. Olivia Barton had a couple of goal saving efforts in the first term, helping the Borough to stop any chance the Dons had of getting a major. With the ball being in Essendon’s forward fifty for majority of the first quarter, the backline showed immense pressure and determination to only keep them to three behinds.
Almost 7 minutes into the second quarter saw the first goal of the game through Nayely Borg. Borg perfectly positioned herself and her opponent and was able to gather the ball off the boot of Chanelle Slater and ran into an open goal. Shortly after, Harley was awarded a free kick after she was illegally held in the ruck, Harley perfectly executed the set shot 30 metres out directly in front, this extended Port Melbourne’s lead by 10 points. The last major of the first half once again came through Harley. Taking a strong pack mark from a perfect inside fifty entry from Bella Stutt in almost the exact same position she was in just a few moments before. This allowed Port Melbourne to enter the second half up by 16 points.
The Borough showed no signs of slowing down at the beginning of the second half, within just the first two minutes of play they secured a goal through Alice Campbell. Campbell showed class when she gathered the ball off a bounce and took a right foot snap, putting it straight through the goals, the momentum was all Port Melbourne’s way. A tackle awarded to Kaitlyn O’Keefe for holding the ball was a perfect display of Borough footy. The Borough kept Essendon second guessing all game and were creating turnovers in crucial moments. To end the third term, Slater was awarded with a free kick on the siren which was put straight through and gave Port a 29-point lead heading into the final term.
Nayely Borg capped off a strong preliminary final gaining a turnover from a kick out where she was able to hit up Harley in the goal square for her third goal for the game. Port Melbourne conceited their first goal of the game in the last quarter when Maddi Wilson secured a set shot straight in front, around 30 metres out. The Borough were then able to hold off the Dons for the last 12 minutes of the play, they came out of the game victorious by 30 points.
The Borough aim to make history on Sunday when they face Collingwood in the 2023 VFLW Grand Final on the 30th of July.
The match will be played at ETU Stadium at 12:10pm, entry is free and will also be televised on Channel 7 and 7+, this is the first time a Port Melbourne VFLW team will play in a grand final.
Essendon 1.5 11 def by 6.5 41 Port Melbourne
Goals: E Harley 3, C Slater, N Borg, A Campbell
Disposals: K O’Keefe 20, J Williams 18, E Morrison 17
Instagram: @photographyby.gab / @andyp.jpg
