Merely getting a team on the field was a cause for celebration for Manor Lakes in 2014, their inaugural season in the Victorian Women’s Football League.
The Storm started that season with only 12 registered players and a handful of stop-gaps. They won one game and took the wooden spoon with a shocking for-against record of 123-657 and a percentage of just under 19.
But with that priceless experience – most of the players had never played before last year – and a few new recruits, Storm made remarkable progress in the west division this year, reaching the finals and even winning a cut-throat elimination over Bacchus Marsh.
They won more games than they lost – nine and seven, including finals – and came up just one game short of a remarkable transformation from cellar to summit.
Storm team manager Kristy Wilson told Star Weekly confidence had grown with every win.
“We started last year with only 12 girls and ended up with 20 by the end of the season and not one had played before,” she said.
“We won only one game last season, but the same girls came in this year. We got a couple of new recruits, too, and we just killed it.
“I think the girls thrived on wins, which made them push for the next one, and that’s what they did throughout the season,” she said.
Manor Lakes’ stunning season came to an end with a preliminary final loss to Melton Centrals.
The Storm was beset by injuries in that game with coach Andrew Richards unable to call on any rotations as the game wound down.
“We had only 22 players and five came off injured, so we ended up with only 17 in the last quarter,” Wilson said.
The taste of finals was intoxicating for the Manor Lakes players. Not only do they want to get back to the finals next season, they want to challenge for the premiership.
“To actually get into the finals for the first time was a bit surreal,” Wilson said.
“The girls thought of it as another game until we got down to the venue. When you hit finals, it’s such a different ball game to when you play on a normal week, so the girls really stepped up.
“When we won the first final, it was amazing. Every single girl was on a high and they wanted to keep winning and take it out this year. Unfortunately, we didn’t but that’s not to say next season we’re not going to do even better.”
The Storm rolls out the welcome mat for players of all ages and abilities.
“It’s a very family-oriented club,” Wilson said.“We like to help absolutely everyone who wants to come down. The oldest player on our team is 53 and our youngest is 18.”
Defender Rachael Court was the Storm’s standout player in only her second season of football.
“Every week she just killed it,” Wilson said. “As soon as she gets that ball, she takes off with it. It’s not just that; defence wise you can’t get through her.”
Yana Frontczak was the Storm’s leading goalkicker with 26 goals, finishing equal- second on the competition list.
“She can kick long and accurate,” Wilson said. “When she gets that ball, we just tell her to go for goal no matter how far out she is.”
Storm has just one goal for next season.
“We want to have fun,” Wilson said. “Win or lose, we have a really good time.”
