A stunning second half has propelled Burnie to its second Tasmanian Women’s League title in three years, defeating reigning premiers Clarence by 48 points at Aurora Stadium on Saturday.
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The Roos, who were going for their seventh premiership in the TWL’s nine-year history, led by five points at the main break after a sluggish start and looked set to take control of the match.
But they could only manage one point after that as the Dockers ran riot, kicking four goals in the third quarter to open up a 19-point gap at the final change before piling on another five goals against the breeze in the last quarter to run out 11.3 (69) to 3.3 (21) winners.
AFL women’s league draft hopeful Ellyse Gamble done her chances no harm with a four-goal haul that saw her take out player of the match honours, while Emma Humphries and league best and fairest Brittany Gibson were also prominent throughout the game.
Jacinta Limbrick was the only multiple goalkicker for Clarence, with two second-quarter goals.
Despite the Dockers going down to the Roos by 25 points in the semi final, coach Jaime Bradley was confident her team could turn it around on the big stage.
“I knew we had it in us if we had everyone on board,” Bradley said.
“It shows what we have been setting up all season has come to a head.
“Everyone played their role and performed well today – I’m so proud of the girls.”
After an intense start to the game, Clarence looked to have settled the better but were unable to convert its inside 50 entries into scoreboard pressure.
Burnie on the other hand made full use of its first foray forward, with Kahla Summers dribbling one through on the break.
They doubled their goal tally nine minutes later when Gamble’s great tackle deep in the forward line resulted in a holding the ball decision.
Clarence come out a different side in the second quarter, with Limbrick taking full advantage of some poor defence from Burnie to tie the scores before Jodie Mather put them ahead for the first time.
Burnie started its surge midway through the third term thanks to Serena Loring’s kick off the ground in the goalsquare, and they never looked back from there, with further goals in the quarter from Humphries, Kirsten Loring and Gamble after the siren.
Any chance of a Roos comeback was quickly extinguished in the first five minutes of the final term when Gamble kicked the opening two goals.