Lions in unfamiliar territory, ready to rise to challenge

BFLW interleague co-captain Rose Russell is confident Redan’s best football is still to come as the business end of the senior women’s season draws nearer.

A staple in the league’s top two in recent years, the Lions find themselves in unfamiliar territory in fourth spot at 7-3 with four regular season games to play.

While it shapes as unlikely given their run home, the Lions face the prospect of negotiating an elimination final if they are unable to find a way past Ballarat, which currently holds down third spot by percentage only.

Importantly for the Lions, they have a game in hand on the Swans, who have played 11 games to their 10.

The Lions also have by far the easier schedule with games to come against Carisbrook (sixth) this weekend, east Point (fifth), Bacchus Marsh (second) and Lake Wendouree (seventh).

Coming off a shut-out 42-point win over East Point before the interleague break, Ballarat must play Bacchus Marsh twice and Darley once before finals, with a bye scheduled in round 14.

If the Swans were to nail down the double chance in their first season in the senior women’s competition, they will certainly have earned it.

Russell said the Lions were fully embracing the challenge of lifting themselves back inside the top three.

“Fourth on the ladder is new for us, but being an underdog for once isn’t a bad thing,” she said.

“We have played together for a long time; we know each other, know that we can play really good football when we have the chance.

“We are not worried yet and have certainly done a bit of the heavy lifting already.

“We’re done with Darley for the rest of the season (potentially until finals) and have only one more against Bacchus Marsh.

“But we also have Swans coming up as well, but we’ll look to build some confidence as we go.”

Like all teams, the Lions have certainly had their issues with injuries and unavailability.

The loss of ruck Nicola Clarke with an ankle injury and defender Chantelle Whiting (foot) have been among the biggest blows.

“We’ve also had lots of little injuries, but I feel like when we have a full, healthy, powerful team, there’s not much we can’t do,” Russell said.

“So we’re not panicking yet.”

The fact they do find themselves outside the top three is a positive reflection on the growing strength of the competition, underpinned by the emergence of the Swans and the rise of a young Bacchus Marsh, according to Russell.

“It’s been really exciting seeing how Bacchus Marsh has developed,” she said.

“They have some young and fast girls, who if we let them, can run circles around us.

“That will be a game to watch coming up.

“And having the Swans in the competition has been so good.

“The first game against them, we only won by one point. That was scary.

“To come out against them for the very first time and for them to put on the heat was scary but really exciting.

“They are fast and young and learning all the time and their skills are great to watch.

“A lot of their girls played junior footy and not all of us at Redan did; we have an older team,” added Russell, who did not start playing until she was 23.

“It’s really exciting to see where footy is going.”

There could be no better guide as to the progression of the BFLW competition than last Saturday’s first-up interleague victory over a rival in Central Victoria, which had won its last eight games at representative level.

Russell was proud to lead the team as co-captain alongside Darley’s Emmerson Hitch and even more stoked to have notched up a history-making win.

As the Lions prepare to take on Carisbrook this Sunday, Russell said a highlight for the Redan girls would be getting to play a home game on their true home at City Oval, with their few home games to date this season having been played at Western Oval or C.E. Brown Reserve as the venue has undergone redevelopment.

“That’s really exciting. Everyone loves playing on their home ground,” she said.

“It’s a lovely home ground to have.

“We’ve even had a few training sessions there in the last few weeks as well, which has also been great.

“Our junior oval at Western Oval where we have been training is pretty chopped up at the moment.”

In other games this weekend, Bacchus Marsh hosts Ballarat at Maddingley Park, with the Cobras on a five-game winning streak and Ballarat three.

On Saturday night at Darley, the Devils play East Point under lights, starting at 5pm.