Senior Women's Premiership #1... "You Know You Can't Deny"

It's done. The Senior Women's team of the Monash University Blues Football Club has won its first Premiership. And it was glorious!

Here, with the reminisces of a few players, coaches, staff, family and friends, we look back at a few Premiership echoes.

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Finals adversity flipped. Ashes have had some unfortunate circumstances when it comes to finals series in the past. In 2019, the Ressies thought they had made the finals only for a count back to knock us out on percentages. Then in 2021, we had won a final and mid-finals series the season got abandoned. When challenges like this happen it really fuels fire to come back bigger and better. It is fantastic to finally be part of a premiership team and say I am bound to these legends for life 💙

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They say "history never repeats" but sometimes it comes extremely close. Grand Final played at famous old VFA/VFL ground? Tick. Monash score 3.3.21 to win? Tick. Monash keep opposition to 19 points? Tick. There are a few coincidences that line up nicely between our 2022 Women's Reserve champions and this inaugural Women's Senior premiership. How important was that 2022 Ressies' flag? Eleven Reserves' premiership players played Senior football for Monash in 2023 and one quarter of our triumphant 2023 team played in the Ressies' Grand Final just thirteen months earlier.

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Wow what a club, program, team, game, what a year! It is often said that it is very rare the best team on paper win it is the team that works the best together. I can 100% say this is the case for our team we work so hard for one another. I love the stories within the story whether that be the inaugural players, the couples, the dual premiership players or the players who had their finals series cut short in 2021 and weren’t in the Ressies premiership team the next year. But the biggest and most unbelievable story is the fact we finished with the wooden spoon last season then 180ed this season to bring home the silverware. Let’s Go Ashes!

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Our Women's football programme commenced training in 2016 and played an exhibition match in August of that year. One player remains with the Club who not only played in that match but also played in the 2022 Reserves and 2023 Senior Women's Premiership teams. It's only fitting that we give #35 Molly McFarlane the last word here...

Monash Blues has been such an important part of my life for the last 7 years. After years of tirelessly building and nurturing our women’s programs this is an indescribable triumph. After the epic Ressies premiership win last year, this Senior flag rewards the players who built this program. This victory is a testament to the countless hours of training, dedication and organisation put forth by our players, coaches, trainers, volunteers and supporters. This journey has been filled with challenges. We have had to fight to get here. And through perseverance, teamwork and a genuine love for one another, we have achieved the pinnacle of success. This premiership not only celebrates the skills and resilience of our team, but symbolises the empowerment and progress of women’s sports. I will reflect back on this experience with immense pride and fulfilment, having achieved something I never thought possible. I love this club, and I love my teammates. And we are Premiers.

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On behalf of everyone involved with our Women's football programme, we wish to say a massive thank you to our Club's generous sponsors - Monash University, Fulton Hogan and the Yorkshire Stingo Hotel. And a big thanks to our Monash Blues Coterie and additional donors.

Thank you to all Ashes' players - Women's and Men's, Seniors, Reserves, Under 19s and Thirds; to our coach and Club games record-holder Shane for his leadership; to Nick and all of the coaches and assistants that kept each of our teams on the park week in, week out; to every one of our team managers; to Matt Madsen and all of our runners; to Brad for his tireless work for all of our teams; to Heada, Ella and the committee for their work; to Jo, our trainers, physios and S&C staff whether you're keeping us out on the field or helping us back from injury; to Jimmy for time-keeping and running the scoreboard; to our photographers; and to all our brilliant volunteers who umpired, ran the boundary, goal umpired, time-kept or ran water to the players throughout the season. Thanks to the players and family members who ran the afternoon teas, post-training dinners and post-match bar. And, finally, to our partners, family, friends, supporters, former players and clubmates who supported us throughout the season... and that wonderful Grand Final crowd... thank you all!

2023 Premier B Women's