Thrilling finish to Youth Girls 17s final

THE Youth Girls 17s grand final wasn’t just the best match of an action packed Grand Final Day, it was the best match of the season.

In front of what became the loudest crowd of 2022 during what turned out to be a frantic, topsy-turvy final term, the lead changed hands three times and it was Bellingen that finished the match with their noses just in front.

Having trailed by 10 points at the main break, Sawtell/Toormina produced a great fightback in the third term to claim a slender 3-point lead at three-quarter time.

The final term is one that will be remembered by all who saw it. Below is a link to a recording of the Live Stream of the match and it’s one that everyone should watch.

Bellingen grabbed the lead back within a minute of play resuming when Tahahni Berger took a mark directly in front from a long kick into the forward line by Kyralee Blackwell.

Play swayed back and forth for a few minutes before Jamika McAulay-Earnest tapped the ball straight to teammate Isla Anderson in a forward 50 stoppage. Anderson calmly turned toward goal and snapped truly to regain the lead for the Saints.

About 90 seconds later Sawtell/Toormina stretched its lead after Scarlett Simmons converted a set shot she earned from a great tackle.

With 9 minutes remaining it was the Saints leading by 9 points.

Now the pressure was on the Bulldogs to mount a fight back and they produced one.

Amaia Wain tried for a long shot at goal from just outside 40 metres. The kick fell marginally short but Molly Bowd roved beautifully close to the goal line and kicked quickly for Bellingen to bring the margin back to less than a kick again.

A minute later Berger produced a rundown tackle to earn a free kick close to goal that moved the LiveStream commentator to say: “that is a grand final tackle if ever I’ve seen one”.

Berger kicked her second goal for the quarter to put the Bulldogs back in front with five minutes remaining.

Bellingen coach Aidan Burger said the premiership decider could have gone either way.

“Everything was on the line and we came out on top, and I think if it went a few more minutes then we could have lost,” Berger said.

“A lot of people are saying it’s the best game they’ve ever seen and it was two evenly matched teams playing really good, fair footy.”

The Bulldogs coach explained the difficult circumstances his side had faced this season.

“We did not play one game all season at home due to the floods, and we played our home games at Mylestom,” he said.

“Our first game at Burdett Park was the semi-final the week before, and we couldn’t even train at our grounds for half the season, and we had to train at an undercroft at Bellingen Primary School.

“It’s unbelievable where we’ve come from to where we ended up.”

BELLINGEN BULLDOGS  2.1  4.1  5.2  8.2 (50)

SAWTELL/TOORMINA  2.1  2.3  5.5  7.6 (48)

Best on Ground Medals: Amaia Wain (Bellingen) and Winnie Johnston (Sawtell/Toormina)

MATCH REPLAY

> > > Click here to see a recording of the Live Stream of the match

SEASON AWARD WINNERS

Joint Nikki Wallace Medallists: Asha Lloyd (Sawtell/Toormina) and Amaia Wain (Bellingen)

Runner-Up Best & Fairest: Zoe Clarke (Sawtell/Toormina)

Rising Star: Amaia Wain (Bellingen)