By Mikayla van Loon
Croydon North MLOC’s female footballers are leading the charge as the first team to play finals, let alone a grand final, in the club’s five year history.
“There’s an opportunity for them to create history. The club so far, in five years, have not played in finals. We’re the first team to play in finals in the club’s history,” senior women’s coach John Hayhurst said.
“It’s really important that the women are leading the way.”
The merger between Croydon North Football Club and Mount Lilydale Old Collegians Football Club in 2018 saw the women form a team in 2019 in the Eastern Football Netball League.
After winning just a single game in the first year, Hayhurst came on board in 2020, moving from a successful grand final finish at The Basin Football Club.
“It was a fledgling club and had never had a women’s team before. I took that on and we set up a program, a basic program, and developed it,” Hayhurst said.
“From kicking the ball, marking the ball, hand passing, picking the ball up off the ground, kicking the ball on the run, all those things football’s been about for decades, that’s where we started from.”
Over the last two years, the women’s team has fluctuated in numbers but with players, coaches and club volunteers spreading the word, Hayhurst said the team went from six players at the beginning of preseason training to 27 players for the 2022 season.
This bolstered the team and saw them take 11 wins and one loss throughout the season, finishing on top of the division three ladder.
Coming up against East Burwood in the grand final, the only team to have beaten Croydon North throughout the season by 17 points and again in the second semi final, Hayhurst said his team will have to play to their strengths.
“East Burwood have two very capable forwards and two of our players are already earmarked to run with those guys.
“We’ll be pressuring their midfield and our forward line has been rejigged because of our injuries, but most of the players coming in have got good experience and have a will to win.”
Two players are out because of ACL injuries that occurred in the second semi final but two players are back in after recovering from injury and concussion.
Hayhurst said he was just so proud to be a part of this team, alongside his assistant coach and nephew Mark Hayhurst and runner Dan Smith.
“We spoke to the group on Monday (22 Aug) after training and I just expressed how proud we are to be involved with a fantastic bunch of footballers,” he said.
“The girls themselves have done the work. They’ve done the work on the training track, got themselves fit, got themselves skilled up, and most importantly, showed a very big amount of determination in getting to the ball first.”
Hayhurst said he has full trust in the girls and “they know what they want, they know what they have to do, we’ve prepared them really well” so now it’s up to them and as a coaching group, they will support them along the way.
Croydon North MLOC face East Burwood at Quambee Reserve on Saturday 27 August at 10.30am.
