By Tara Murray
After its toughest period of the Essendon District Football League women’s premier division season, Hillside showed the form that has it in the top four on Saturday.
The Sharks entered Saturday’s match with Moonee Valley having lost two of their last three matches.
They were able to put that behind them as they accounted for the Fog, 5.8 (38)-2.2 (14).
Sharks coach Blaise Ferraro said they had been able to take things out of the last few weeks and put them into play.
“We haven’t lost too many games the last couple of years,” he said. “When we lost last year it was our season over.
“This time the losses have come during the season and the challenge has been to regroup, which we have been able to do.”
Ferraro said Saturday’s contest with the Fog was a hard battle all day.
He said the addition of some of their Victorian Football League Women’s players had boosted the Fog line up.
“They were more competitive,” he said. “We got back to basics and laying tackles.
“We were ruthless all day.”
Emily Paterno kicked three goals for the Sharks and was one of their best.
Ferraro said the star forward was starting to work her way into the season having returned from VFLW this season.
“She’s been able to hit the track a bit more,” he said. “She seems settled and is stepping up and helping our leaders.”
Ferraro said Melissa Higgins was best on ground in the ruck, while Brooke Kerrigan and Natasha Campbell were strong in the middle of the ground.
In another positive for the Sharks, Chanel Caruso and Ebony Wilkie played their first senior games for the season as they come back from major injuries suffered early last year.
The Sharks sit second on the ladder.
The race for the top three remains a three-way battle, with all three sides equal on points.
Each of the top three sides have had a win and loss against each other.
Hillside will face Aberfeldie in the run home, while Oak Park avoids the other two teams in the top three in the run home.
“Oak Park seems like a lock for a top two spot, unless something weird happens,” he said. “I think it’s a toss of the coin [between the three sides].
“Anything can happen on any given day and it depends on the side. It could be decided by kicking accuracy or kicking inaccuracy.”
The Sharks this Saturday face Keilor which is coming off a hard fought win against Greenvale.
Ferraro said last time the Blues really tested them.
