By Tara Murray
Momentum continues to grow within the Melton women’s football side.
In their inaugural season, the Bloods are having a ball and starting to get wins on the board.
Bloods coach Beau Beck said he is enthused by how far the side has come since the AFL Goldfields Women’s season started.
“We’re still learning quite a lot,” he said. “There has been an explosion in the interest in the side at our club.
“We have close to 30 players on our list now, which is amazing. Three weeks before round one, we were looking at pulling the pin.”
Beck said it was pleasing how the women’s side had helped bring the junior and senior clubs together.
The Bloods’ female sides all played on the same day at the same venue for the first time on Sunday, with the women’s side facing Darley.
Beck said there was a big crowd at the game, in which the teams played for a boomerang trophy in recognition of indigenous round.
The Bloods grabbed their third win of the season thanks to a 8.10 (58)-2.2 (14) scoreline. Both sides hit the scoreboard in the first quarter in an even contest before the Bloods took control of the game.
After quarter-time, the Bloods kicked 5.9 to two points to cruise to victory.
Beck said it was a tough day for the players as they adjusted to the conditions.
“It was really windy in typical Maccy Park conditions,” he said. “We had one of our under-18s, Kacie Hallmark, step up and play in her first open age game.
“She played beyond her years. We’re rapt with the signs for the future.”
PHOTO GALLERY: Melton vs Darley
Beck said captain Ashlee Wallis was clearly best on ground, while Telia Coverdale kicked two goals.
For the Devils, Danielle Bergin and Ilana White were their best.
Beck said his side would have a few challenges coming up in the next few weeks.
The Bloods are in fifth place.
“We’ve had a decent fixture so far,” he said. “We’ve got some tests coming up against the likes of Redan and East Point … the Ballarat teams all seem strong.”
In other results, Melton Centrals remain undefeated after a hard-fought win against East Point.
Centrals trailed for most of the day, but found another level in the last quarter to win 4.13 (37)-4.6 (30).
Alanna Porter kicked two goals for Centrals, while Nicole Martin, in her first game for the season, was named best.
Bacchus Marsh fell short against Lake Wendouree in a low-scoring match.
The Lakers scored the only two goals to win 2.1 (13)-0.0 (0).
