Lake Macquarie Dockers women learning AFL skills quickly

Coach Tim Clark said he saw enough to know that wins would come for his Dockers.

“The team can definitely do better,” he said.

Cardiff won the match 6-12-48 to 1-3-9 at Tulkaba Park, and benefited from having several players with rugby experience.

It was a different story for many in Clark’s squad.

“Some of the girls had never kicked a footy before we started training this season, and some hadn’t even kicked a soccer ball,” he said.

But it hasn’t stopped them taking to their new sport with enthusiasm.

“We started out with just seven in the squad, and we’ve not got 27,” the coach said.

Instilling the fundamental skills of catching and kicking would continue to be Clark’s priority at training.

But the women don’t need to be reminded that it’s a fun sport, he said. 

“It’s a bit different to the men’s game. When the girls from rival teams are standing together on the field they seem to always be able to find something to have a chat about,” he said.

There were plenty of friendly smiles exchanged between rivals throughout the game, and even laughter as the women occasionally were stumped by the rules.

“Our first and last quarters were our strongest, but in the second and third quarters we fell back into some bad habits,” Clark said.

Centre halfback Teagan Gorton was a stand-out for the Dockers.

“She was very solid in defence,” Clark said.

New recruit Tracy Chapman, who was registered only on the morning of the game, impressed at halfback flank, in her first game of Australian football.

“And our fullback Jade MacPherson was kept very busy in defence, as a lot of the game was played down at our end.”

Clark said the Dockers were looking for more women to join the squad.

Any women who were keen to improve their fitness, learn new skills and, most of all have a lot of fun with like-minded women, were invited to join the Dockers, he said.

The team trains at Tulkaba Park, Teralba, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 6.30pm.

Mr Clark can be contacted on 0407 551878.

In the Black Diamond Cup first division men’s match, Newcastle City recorded a solid 68-point win over Lake Macquarie to retain the Bob Hooten Cup.