Tough Tigers: Grovedale gets grand final revenge

A FRESH-faced Grovedale side has handed Geelong Amateur their first loss of the season with a one-point upset in round 10.

The result flipped the script on the Tigers’ one-point loss to the Ammos in round 5.

After a disrupted start to the season due to a round 1 bye and round 4 forfeit, captain Emily Worpel is impressed with how the team has settled.

“There has probably been 10 changes from our grand final side last year and a new head coach, so it does look a little bit different,” Worpel said.

“The core group has remained the same, but we have lots of new recruits.”

The club has benefitted from its proximity to Deakin’s Waurn Ponds campus, with Worpel crediting Ballarat-born university students for boosting numbers this season.

Chris Burgess stepped into the head coaching role, taking over from Taylah Hassett, who continues to play in the side.

Worpel said new and returning players have taken well to Burgess’ coaching style.

“He’s been great since he came on in November,” Worpel said.

“We were lucky enough that he knew a couple of the girls prior to coming, so he wasn’t a brand-new person.

“It’s been a really easy adaption. We’ve still got the goal in mind to make finals and we’re pushing from there.”

Disappointment from last year’s grand final loss continues to linger for returning players and Worpel admits it has influenced recruitment and this year’s game plan.

 

But availability continues to be the side’s Achilles heel. Improvement from the Tigers’ division two side – which sits third on its ladder – has helped.

“For the last couple of years, we’ve had to change the team each week,” Worpel said.

“But what’s been really great about this year is the gap between our division one and division two side is closing.

“By giving girls who are working really hard and proving themselves in division two opportunities, playing up is a proper reward and playing down is not a punishment.”

Looking ahead, Worpel hopes the Tigers can make a deep finals run in a tightly contested competition.

With just seven teams in the division, she said the tough games keep coming, forcing the Tigers to earn their place in the premiership race.

Worpel said the constant challenges would make any success all the sweeter.

“It does feel like those hard games come around really fast and it doesn’t feel like you get that much of a break, but that is what you want as a premier division,” she said.

“You want to be playing the best footy that you can, and you want to be putting yourself against the best opposition. It only makes you better.”