Elaine Watson Cup Final Preview
Well, now that the regular season is done and dusted.... time for some silverware!
The illustrious Elaine Watson Cup is finally upon us. The have been cup highs and cup lows....but here we are, the final hurdle, and what a match it should be. It's First versus Second, with both Mitchelton and Annerley proving to be the best in the league... what will the end result be in this blockbuster of a game? Annerley are somewhat Cup Royalty, having won the Elaine Watson Cup twice in a row and proving that they have the experience and skill to take on knock out competitions. Mitchelton are the newcomers to this final having never won this cup in their history. Mitchelton The Mustangs from Teralba seemed to have shocked many this season after romping home with the league with two games to spare. Goals flowing from the front and a miserly defence has seen them brush aside the opposition for most of the year. Their cup journey has seen them beat Capital League sides Holland Park and Moggill and then finally beating Mount Franklin Premier League side Logan Lightning. The Mustangs have used a staggering 24 players during their cup run, showing they had faith in a fair amount of reserve players to get the cup ball rolling. As for the line-up for tomorrow, I expect to see a full squad taking the field at Walton Bridge Reserve. Expect the big game players Katie McDonald, Gabrielle Brodie, Emilie Rebelo and 2016 standout, goalkeeper Emma Taylor, to relish the opportunity to play in front of a big crowd. The Mustangs will be facing the prospect of possibly playing Annerley three times in a row, so this game will be a small taste of what they can expect in the next few weeks. Top cup goalscorer: Raegan O'Grady (3) Annerley Unlike Mitchelton, Annerley have relied on a sold core of players who have taken part in the cup since the first tie and how impressive they have been! They have swept aside Capital League sides Virginia and Premier League teams UQFC and Peninsula Power with 13 goals for and only one against. The line up for tomorrow should be the standard for Annerley, although one major loss will be Laura Blue who has departed our fair shores for the US of A - a real blow for the ladies in blue. Having said that, Annerley’s pedigree will make up for her loss and they will be as strong as ever. Expect Donna Smith, Kate Deegan, Emily Simms and the machine between the sticks Gemma Layfield to fight tooth and nail to make it three times in a row. Top cup goalscorer: Rebecca Sweeney (4) Tip: Toss a coin, who knows?
Mitchelton should have a huge crowd there to support thanks to their men taking part in the Canale Cup final as well but Annerley have the history. Draw, penalties and whoever has lady luck on their side!
Kick-off 2pm @ Walton Bridge Reserve.
