Tigers facing big task in preliminary final against highly fancied Railways

The true extent of Boulder’s improvement this year in the Goldfields Football League’s women’s competition after two lean seasons goes on the line in Saturday’s preliminary final against Railways.

The Tigers were inaugural GFLW premiers in 2021, but four wins in each of the next two seasons produced third and fourth place finishes, respectively.

It has been a vastly different story this year under Terrence Winner, with 16 games during the qualifiers yielding nine wins.

That solid across-the-board improvement continued in last Sunday’s first semifinal win against Kalgoorlie, 3.4 (22) to 1.3 (9), led by Tequilia LeBois’ two goals.

But just as the black-and-golds’ standards have lifted, so have those of Mines Rovers and Railways, who grabbed the top-two ladder positions with 14 wins and 12 wins, respectively.

Despite finishing five games clear of Kalgoorlie in third, Boulder headed into the finals three games and percentage adrift of Railways and haven’t claimed a top-two scalp since upsetting Mines Rovers in round one.

Railways will be desperate to rebound after last Saturday’s second semifinal loss to Mines Rovers.

They will start favourites this weekend after dispatching Boulder in each of four head-to-head clashes — by margins of 51 points, 66 points, 49 points and 22 points.

Also in the Panthers’ favour is the goal kicking form of 2024 GFLW fairest-and-best winner Marley Kelman and teammate Drew Epis.

The pair has combined for 69 goals, with only Mines Rovers’ Chanelle Halligan (45 goals in 15 games) more productive up forward.

Kelman on Monday night captured the GFLW’s top individual award at just 15 years of age, and Epis has flourished as a reliable goal kicking option for the red-and-blacks since transferring this year from Kalgoorlie.

Paris Ulijin and Teresa Stokes have each kicked 19 goals for Boulder this season.

Railways are chasing a third consecutive grand final appearance since joining the GFLW for the 2022 season.

Saturday’s clash at Digger Daws Oval starts at 9am.