It’s the biggest day of the year of the Tamworth District Football women’s competition and the 2017 decider will be played on the biggest stage in Tamworth.
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The women’s first and reserve grade grand finals will both be played on Scully Park this Saturday.
The first grade final will pit Kootingal Kougars against Tamworth FC and opposing captains couldn’t wait to get out on the premier pitch.
“We’re excited to be playing on Scully. It’s a good opportunity for us to be playing on a decent field for a change,” Tamworth FC skipper Kahla May said.
“It’s something I'm sure some people will be jealous of,” Kootingal captain Cassi Cutmore added.
Along with the excitement of playing on Scully Park, the captains also thought the pitch would throw up new challenges.
“We’re not used to playing on it and the balls going to hold up a lot more,” May said.
“On dirt, it bounces and rolls so I think we’re going to struggle a bit with that but we’re both in the same boat.”
Kootingal will start the grand final as the underdog with Tamworth FC notching up four wins from the six times the sides have met this year.
However, the Kougarettes did get the better of FC in the opening round of the season.
Since their last lost to Tamworth FC in the major semi-final, Cutmore said Kootingal had turned a corner and were switched on for the grand final.
“We pretty much found we need to rally ourselves together a lot more,” Cutmore said.
“A lot of us weren't in the right head space from injuries or missing players and I think that took a big toll on the team.
“I think with the weekend we’ve just had, against Northies, has rekindled the team spirit a bit.”
The Kougarettes will have to crack Tamworth FC’s wall-like defensive line.
FC has only let in six goals all year with goalkeeper Mishelle Fealy having a sensational year at the back.
May expected the defence to be rock solid again and she was more worried about getting everything to click up forward.
“Getting our shots on target and really taking advantage of the chances we have, that’s one problem we’ve probably had this year,” May said.
The women’s competition is in its first decade of growth and has grown from a six-a-side format to 11-a-side.
Tamworth FC has been a force, making the grand final each year, while Kootingal has grown alongside the competition.
The progression of the side is something that amazes captain Cutmore.
“For a club that's been going for 41 years and is the largest in the district, the talent of the women coming through to the senior grade from the junior levels is simply amazing,” Cutmore said.
“This season is just a taste of what is yet to come from the Kootingal Kougars in the future.”
The reserve grade final also pits Kootingal Kougarettes against Tamworth FC and will start at 12.30pm.
The main game will kick off at 2.30pm.
