Panthers grab decisive first-up GFLW victory against Kalgoorlie

Paris Ulijn made her presence felt in her first game in new colours by kicking two goals in Railways’ 49-point win last Saturday against Kalgoorlie, 7.13 (55) to 1.0 (6), to launch the Goldfields Football League’s women’s competition.

Ulijn, who has this season joined the Panthers after 32 games with Boulder, was the game’s leading forward among six goalkickers for the winners.

Ella Pumpa, Megan Bam, Amelia Pettit, Drew Epis and Jacinta Yarran had a goal each for the red-and-blacks under new coach Brendan Ryan.

Wiebke Piringer booted Kalgoorlie’s lone goal.

“The ladies played well, especially in the second half when they settled into their work and really moved the ball quickly, which was based on some stuff that we’d worked on at training,” Ryan said.

“You can’t go too much off the first game because Kangas, I think, had some younger players coming in.

“But the effort of our ladies was really good and we had a couple of key outs, too, including Marley Kelman from our midfield.”

Ryan praised a stout defensive unit which held the Roos scoreless after quarter-time.

“They all go pretty hard and we have a couple of new ladies back there, including Tahlia Fairhead who was very reliable and featured in our awards,” he said.

Railways are in pursuit of a fourth consecutive GFLW grand final appearance.

Kalgoorlie lifted back-to-back GFLW flags in 2022-23, but were last year affected by a mass turnover of players while finishing fourth.

Round two will be played on Saturday, when Mines Rovers host Kalgoorlie at Digger Daws Oval from 9am and Kambalda are at home against Boulder, starting at 11am.