Hale breaths sigh of relief after reaching the women’s summit

Hale Hockey Club’s president has spoken of the relief felt after the club claimed their first-ever women’s Premier League title with a 2-1 victory over Westside Wolves in this year’s Premier League Grand Final.

The side took the win on Saturday to claim the premiership after goals from Mariah Williams and Edwina Bone, with a late finish from Wolves’ Ashlea Fey coming too late to mount a comeback.

Hale president Clayton Arnold said after two grand final losses in the previous three years, the side had started to question if they would ever reach the pinnacle.

“That was our third Grand Final in four years and in the last one in 2020 against Victoria Park we had a very strong lineup and were quietly confident,” Arnold said.

“To go down and to lose that one in 2019 to Wolves was heartbreaking.

“To face the same club for redemption was satisfying and the girls were relieved.”

Arnold said the maiden premiership capped off a journey for the club’s women’s program which had been building since the turn of the century.

“People around the club are very buoyant and I am thrilled with the victory for the girls,” he said.

“We were in the Premier League in the early 2000s for one year and have been up the last six years.

“This is of course our maiden victory, so it does a lot for the club and is something we have been building.”

Arnold said a large part of the drought-breaking premiership was due to former Hockeyroos Madonna Blyth and Emily Halliday coming on as coaches.

“Having Madonna Blyth and Emily Halliday coaching the team has been great,” he said.

“We have had a very strong group and over the last few years have attracted a large number of talented girls to the club.”

The president said the recent success had started to pay off down the ranks at the club.

“Our junior teams have increased by 50 per cent in the last three years, which is a great pathway forward and will keep the club moving in the right direction,” Arnold said.

“We have always had a very strong boys group in juniors, but the girls have been a bit more of a struggle.

“We are getting on top of that now and of course, a premiership helps the attractiveness of playing at Hale.”

The premiership capped off a stunning day for Hale’s women’s program, with their Premier 3 side winning their Grand Final after they were promoted for the 2023 season.