Bathurst Lady Bushrangers defeat Orange Tigers, take big step toward AFL Central West finals

On Saturday the Lady Bushrangers posted their fourth win of the AFL Central West season when defeating the Orange Tigers 6-3-39 to 1-2-8 in Orange.

Not only have the Lady Bushrangers now doubled the amount of wins they managed in season 2021, but they have opened up a 16-point gap on the Tigers.

With five rounds remaining, it is a gap the currently winless Tigers don't look likely to close. If that's the case, it means finals football for the Lady Bushrangers.

"It was good to get back on the winners' list," Grundy said.

"We knew there was some pretty good competition in the women's league this year with the likes of Giants and Dubbo, but our goal all along was to make the finals and keep building.

"We've all but done that now, so we just want to keep building from here and who knows what could happen. You get to finals and it's anyone's game.

"We're not counting our chickens before they're hatched, but we think we're all but there and most of the list is pretty healthy. Now it's just about getting to training and building momentum."

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Building has been a theme of season 2022 as Grundy and fellow co-coaches Brian Matheson and Pat Fisher have worked with a relatively inexperienced squad.

Though the likes of Abbey Hardie, Lauren Grundy and Amelia Wright have played a host of games as Lady Bushrangers, a bulk of the playing roster are only in their first or second year.

But Grundy and his fellow coaches know there's a positive in that.

"Our biggest downfall at the moment is our lack of experience, but it's also the most exciting thing about our list, thinking how much better we can get, you know the potential is through the roof," he said.

While Orange was eager to open its account for the season in Saturday's match at Waratahs Sports Ground and threw plenty at the contest, the Lady Bushrangers had the measure of their rivals.

They restricted the Tigers to just one major for the contest, while in turn Lady Bushrangers skipper Ciara Kearns booted three, Liz Ward kicked her first goal for the club and both Stephanie Taylor and Amelia Wright hit the target too.

Millie Dunlop fed good ball to her forwards, working hard on the wing and in the midfield to be named players' player.

"It was a low scoring affair and they're a really physical team, so it was a bit of a slug out there for both teams," Grundy said.

"We thought we won the physical contest and our back line, which has been amazing all year, was excellent again. Once again the likes of Tomika Speer and Amy Roseby really stood up and didn't really give them any opportunities at all, which was fantastic.

"Our midfield was amazing, I thought Sonia Horn, Lucy Thompson were amazing in the middle. But just everyone played well as a team."

Playing well as a team is what the coaching staff hope to see more off. It will help keep the Lady Bushrangers in third, a position which brings with it a sudden-death grand final qualifier.

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