Fresh off brushing opponents Casey Comets aside on Friday night, Boroondara Eagles coach Filipe Simao said he couldn’t be more proud of his newly promoted squad.
Boroondara appear to have adjusted to life in the top flight with ease, and currently sit sixth on the Sportsmart Women’s Premier League table with two wins and a draw against Bundoora United, as well as an injury time defeat to last years Grand Finalists South Melbourne.
“I think they’ve really adjusted,” Simao said about his young sides transition out of State League 1.
“They are young ones, we’ve got at right back a 15 year-old, at centre midfield another 15 year-old and out wide on the right normally another 15 year-old.”
“The rest of them are 18, 19 years old so we’ve got a couple of experienced players obviously with Alex Gummer, Leah Barrett and Racheal Quigley and they help the girls out on the park which is fantastic but I think they are adjusting well, very proud of them.”
Alex Gummer has been a particularly key acquisition for the Eagles, with her experience vital for such a youthful side.
Additionally appointed as an assistant coach upon arriving at Boroondara from W-League outfit Adelaide United, Gummer put in a player of the match performance against her former side on Friday night, her emotions overflowing when Ellen Turner netted the Eagles first.
“It was excellent for Alex Gummer,” Simao said.
“To be honest there you go, you’ve got to be proud of that,” he said referring to the girls singing in the change rooms at full-time.
“She came across to us and took on the challenge of of being assistant coach and coaching a lot of the juniors as well and probably copped a bit of slack for it which is unfair.
“She made a professional move and so for her to get the win and for the girls to get rewarded, when you coach and you ask for certain things when it pays off, very rewarding.”
Simao was also pleased with the performance of debutant Aisling Callaghan, who impressed in the centre of midfield.
“She was best and fairest for division two, north-west for the last two years so I did a bit of homework at the start of the year and wanted to sign her up.”
“I’ve chased and chased and managed to get her down so we think she’s excellent for depth and today for example we had Emma Hubbert out, we had Sarah Petty out, two probably starting eleven players so she filled in very well and a good welcoming note.”
Boroondara will now host seventh place Cairnlea Sunday night at 6pm at the Knox Regional Football Centre.