By Stephanie Smarrelli
A blockbuster Grand Final in front of a sellout crowd of 15,013 certainly delivered the heat.
From the opening centre pass, it was clear this clash would be a physical battle, with defence shaping the outcome.
While the stat sheet may not show overwhelming numbers, the defensive intensity and effort from the Melbourne Vixens was immense.
And ultimately it was what set them apart from West Coast Fever.
The Vixens applied pressure on every pass.
Their defensive unit of Rudi Ellis, Jo Weston and Kate Eddy worked seamlessly to dismantle Fever’s attacking structures.
Ellis and Weston consistently confused the space, while their teammates backed them up with relentless hands over pressure, forcing Fever to hesitate and reassess every option.
Ellis set the tone early, energising the crowd with a crucial intercept in the opening term, a statement moment against her former team and old teammate Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard.
It was off the back of that play the Vixens snatched a one-goal lead by quarter time, a lead they would only briefly relinquish in the second quarter.
The Vixens delivered Grand Final pressure in spades.The pressure was unrelenting across the court. Fever kept coming, but every time they surged, the Vixens found another gear defensively.
In the second quarter, Zara Walters’ & Kiera Austin's coverage on the transverse line allowed their defensive unit to set themselves up well.
Off the back of one of Walters’ efforts on the transverse line the ball was able to be stolen in Fever's attacking third by Weston.
Eddy and Kate Moloney were relentless on Alice Teague-Neeld and Jordan Cransberg, forcing Shanice Beckford to do a lot of work outside of the goal circle.
While Fever coughed up a few balls, and managed to recover some, Weston refused to let up, making it her mission to chase down every loose possession.
Fever’s defensive unit kept them in the game, but the Vixens’ full-court defence was suffocating.
The Fever side had seven deflections at half time compared to the Vixens three but the stats didn't matter because the Vixens pressure kept the usually composed Fever shaky putting doubt into the minds of the team from the west.
The difference showed on the scoreboard with the Vixens up by two goals.
The one stat that was very telling at halftime, the Vixens gain to goal rate.
They had a 100 per cent conversion rate in the first half, while Fever managed just 75 in what would become a nail in the coffin for the minor premiers.
Fever delivered sparks of brilliance in the third quarter, with Sunday Aryang stepping up defensively and helping level the score.
But the Vixens never lost their way, continuing to grind and apply pressure across every inch of the court.
Add into the equation the roar of the Melbourne crowd and Fever were in unfamiliar territory, having to fight back.
All the Vixens players took their opportunities to turn the ball over.
Head coach Simone McKinnis made a timely move, bringing Hannah Mundy into the game, adding fresh legs and composure through the midcourt.
Fever coach Dan Ryan responded by injecting Olivia Wilkinson, with both coaches attempting to unsettle the rhythm.
Mundy picked up the defensive pressure on the transverse where Walters left off not giving an inch to her opponents despite it being her first game back from injury.
It became a tactical battle, particularly in defence, a chess match unfolding while the goalers did their job under the post.
Heading into the final quarter, the Vixens held their largest lead of the game and they weren’t about to let it slip. No SSN team has ever lost a Grand Final after leading at three-quarter time, and the Vixens made sure they wouldn’t be the first.
They controlled the big moments and didn't take their foot off the accelerator.
The one-percent efforts from Weston, Mundy and Austin were influential, all three worked hard to steal back the ball during the match’s critical moments.
Ellis was exceptional, her footwork to confuse the space and determination to contest every ball disrupted Fever’s usually fluid attack, rattling them in a way not seen since early in the season.
Even when the Vixens lost control of possession, they found a way to win it back.
Fever turned to the Suncorp Super Shot in the game’s dying minutes but the defensive work of the Vixens only allowed them to slot one, and it was through the hand of Fowler-Nembhard rather than the expected Wilkinson.
Ellis was a standout for the Vixens.With eight minutes left in the fourth, the Vixens still boasted a 100 per cent gain to goal rate. That kind of efficiency under pressure is what wins championships.
After a gruelling season, and weeks of cut-throat finals, the Vixens proved they could withstand pressure, force the pressure onto their opponents and rise when it mattered most.
Ellis and Weston stood tall in the final few minutes as the ball seesawed from end to end and it was their work in defence with the calm composure of the Vixens attack that kept them in control.
Vixens goal attack Kiera Austin was also key in the final minutes with a gain and deflection to her name highlighting how the defensive pressure was executed from end to end.
The Vixens proved week after week they could withstand the heat, deliver blows with defensive pressure and reaped the ultimate reward.
After the match, head coach Simone McKinnis praised the team's defensive efforts across the court.
"Rudi and Jo were outstanding, but the work of Kate Eddy, Kate Moloney, Kiera Austin, Zara Walters and Hannah Mundy across that transverse was t
