By MICHAEL ELY
A MERCY rule wouldn’t have been out of place at Elgar Reserve, Box Hill, as Hallam Senior College blitzed its rivals in a Football Victoria combined schools competition shield on July 20.
Hallam beat defending champions Ballarat Clarendon College in its opening match and then went on to claim Mt Lilydale Mercy College in the grand final.
After keeping Ballarat Clarendon to just two points in the opening game, Hallam’s defence became a forward’s graveyard in the deciding game, keeping Mt Lilydale scoreless.
Hallam coach Brett Alexander had the luxury of resting his best players, including AIS-AFL academy member Ally Blackburn after quarter-time in the grand final. This ensured the girls were “rested” for the state school semi-finals next month.
Hallam entered the competition, previously the exclusive domain of private and catholic schools, against 2011 premiers Ballarat Clarendon in a physical affair.
“The Ballarat girls were a lot bigger than us and applied lots of physical pressure,” Alexander said. “We just tried to hang in there and we were able to apply enough pressure and force turnovers.”
Hallam prevailed winning 7.6 (48) to 0.2 (2), Karly Tapner dominant in midfield and across half-back.
Alexander said the win was just reward for a group of girls who were “very coachable”. “We’ve now won 29 games in a row and and this school’s girls are yet to lose at all.”
But their dominance could soon end with most of their star players graduating soon. “We lose Ally Blackburn, Chloe [McMillan] and Kirsty [McLeod] as well as some others, but we’ll still be very competitive,” he said.
“Some of our girls played in the national under-16s championships, so there’s others to take their places.”
In the grand final defender Danielle Hardman was named best on ground.
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