SHE has proven herself on tennis courts across the state, but on Saturday when Dominique Mitton stamped her authority in a sporting contest there was no racquet in site.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Instead Mitton was a standout for the Bathurst Giants as they posted a 4-14-38 to 2-4-16 win over Central West AFL women's rivals the Bathurst Lady Bushrangers.
Giants coach Liz Kennedy used her in the centre of the field in the 12-on-12 contest and after a slow start, Mitton's run through the middle and work to win the clearances helped swing momentum in favour of her side.
"We put Dom Mitton in the middle and she was our players' player, she had a cracking game," Kennedy said.
"This is her first year playing and she really hit her straps, she was very good. Tackling pressure, attacking the footy - she got her head over the footy.
"It was see-ball, get-ball - Dom definitely did that."
This is her first year playing and she really hit her straps.
- Liz Kennedy
Playing their first game for four weeks, combined with having to adjust to a swirling breeze and the Lady Bushrangers battling hard for the contested possessions, the Giants took time to settle into the contest.
Both sides managed just a single major in the first half and at the long break only three points separated the pair.
But as Mitton and the likes of Molly Mann who Kennedy said "thrives on playing bigger, harder opposition" began to give Giants the edge in the midfield battle, that advantage grew.
The Giants booted two goals six and were able to hold their rivals scoreless in the third term. It saw them with a 21-point lead heading into the final quarter and though the Lady Bushrangers fought hard, they could not make up the deficit.
"I think it really showed we hadn't played for four weeks, we were really rusty and the numbers at training had dropped off. That really showed in the first two quarters," Kennedy said.
READ MORE: Injury scare sees Rebels-Tigers fixture end early
READ ALSO: Cooper bags a treble as CSU crush Wellington
READ ALSO: First-half frenzy sets up the Saints
"I feel it is disappointing for the players to have a break like that, they get match fitness and then they stop playing and have got to start again. We've got another week off now because of the rep weekend.
"It was pretty windy, hence the 14 behinds, we were inaccurate in front of goal. Bushrangers applied the pressure too, they had 12 of their best players out there and they sustained that pressure.
"But we kicked a couple of goals in that third quarter and that lifted us. We got our hands on the footy and we all clicked back into gear with that."
The result sees the Giants sitting two points clear of Orange at the top of the ladder with the Lady Bushrangers third.
