Heartbreak as Dusties defeated in decider

Warragul Industrials have suffered another case of grand final heartbreak, going down to Mornington in Saturday's Mornington Peninsula division one grand final for the second straight year.
Having gone through the year undefeated the Dusties fell at the final hurdle, a late comeback not enough as they fell 4.5 (29) to 5.6 (36).
A very large and noisy crowd greeted Warragul Industrials at Frankston's Kinetic Stadium as they faced the Bulldogs, who had improved greatly over the course of the year and had welcomed several key players back, including VFLW midfielder Stella Rogers.
The game did not begin well for the Dusties when they lost key midfielder and reigning league best and fairest Abbie Hoiberg-Cox to a knee injury only minutes into the game.
This was a massive blow for the Dusties and meant some early positional changes.
Mornington had all the momentum early and hit the scoreboard with two goals, both to Tenae Browne. The Dusties had one shot on goal late in the quarter which unfortunately hit the post.
Lily Van Berkel and Brooke Hunter were winning lots of ball across half back, which helped keep Mornington to only two goals.
The second quarter saw the ladder leaders get more ball forward with Tayla Hoiberg-Cox and Elise Molesworth winning a lot of tough contested ball in the middle of the ground. After two near misses the Dusties got their first goal through some exciting play from Lilly Leighton as she evaded several opponents to kick a great goal from a tight angle.
The third quarter was 20 minutes of tough contested football with neither side backing away. The Dusties had plenty of inside 50s but could not capitalise on the scoreboard, instead coming in at three quarter time 20 points down to hear coach Scott Armour instruct them to play 20 minutes of fast football.
The side had been practicing this throughout the year, moving the ball quickly and only playing through the corridor.
The Dusties hit the scoreboard early with a goal to Remy Ferguson, which got the crowd involved. They quickly scored another goal, which saw the players lift as they could sense that they were running over the top of their opponents.
Unfortunately a Bulldogs major, completely against the flow of play, steadied the Mornington side.
The Dusties quickly put another one through to put them within seven points with two minutes remaining. Unfortunately, the siren went with the ball only thirty metres from the Dusties goal.
It was a heartbreaking loss but with seven players playing in their first senior grand final, the group will be better placed next time to take out a win.
Reserves
The Warragul Industrials reserves can feel extremely proud of their four-quarter grand final performance, going down to Mornington by just four points in a thrilling contest 3.1 (19) to 3.5 (23).
The Dusties got off to a fantastic start, with Sarah Burns kicking two crucial early goals to give Warragul the perfect start and a lead at quarter time.
Mornington responded strongly in the second quarter, pegging the Dusties back to level the scores at half time. From there, the game became a battle of momentum, with both sides producing periods of dominance.
The on-ballers and half backlines from both teams worked overtime, fighting for control of the stoppages and general play. Neither team was prepared to give an inch, with the intensity remaining high right through to the final siren.
Incredibly, the premiership was still alive in the final five seconds, with the ball deep inside the Dusties' forward 50 and Warragul searching desperately for the score that would steal victory.
Unfortunately, Mornington held firm to secure a four-point victory.
While the result will hurt, there is enormous pride in what this group has achieved. The reserves have battled through a remarkable season and, after five years of watching their senior teammates enjoy the majority of the success, they have now earned their own place on the biggest stage.
Best players were Melina Eppel, Carlee Maher, Natarsha Sanders, Sarah Burns, Zoe Allen, Lily Baldwin and Charli Abbott.
A special mention must go to every player who pulled on the Dusties jumper on Saturday. The effort, courage and commitment to the team were evident for four quarters.
The premiership cup may have slipped through their fingers by four points, but this group has helped create something that will last well beyond Saturday. The future of women's football at Warragul Industrials is incredibly bright.