The Bendigo Pioneers scored a history-making win over the Calder Cannons in round one Coates Talent League Girls action.
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Sunday's 9.4 (58) to 6.4 (40) win was the first time in Pioneers history that the girls have beaten the Cannons.
Calder had won the previous six encounters with the Pioneers in the girls division.
"In the girls' space, in the past, I think we've been intimidated by metro teams,'' Pioneers' coach Whitney Kennedy said.
"It's a bit of an aura that they've got as a result of us giving it to them.
"Today the playing group showed no indication that they were up against it because we were playing a metro team.
"They backed themselves in and continued the good form we had in the intra-club and the practice match against the Bushrangers.
"They kept driving that, took great belief in what they were capable of and that's what we saw in the first half, particularly."
The Pioneers set up the 18-point win with a dominant first half.
They kicked six goals to one in the first half to lead by 30 points at the main break.
The Cannons made a charge at the Pioneers by kicking three unanswered goals in the first seven minutes of the third term.
The improvement in the Pioneers' skill levels and depth was exemplified by one key passage of play.
With the Cannons on the charge, the Pioneers showed great skill as Lavinia Cox and Tessa Skipper combined to move the ball from the wing to co-captain Lucia Painter in space inside 50.
Painter's set shot sailed through at the Barnard Street end of the QEO and the Pioneers' ship had been steadied.
From that point on the Cannons never really looked like reeling in the Pioneers.
Bendigo received key contributions across the board - a pleasing sign for Kennedy and her coaching staff.
Jayda Lockwood, Jemmika Douglas, Olivia Lacy, Painter, Shaleah Cooper and Sienna Hobbs were the standouts in a Pioneers' side that could have had up to 15 players named in the best players.
"It's a really exciting time and the girls are absolutely up and about,'' Kennedy said.
"They'll really enjoy this and, now that they've got a taste for it, they'll be ready to go and train and build from this.
"We can take so much out of that game."
The Pioneers are
