Dragons’ hot streak to Div 2 women’s title

By Chris McAsey

The Hong Kong Dragons powered through an unbroken run of five wins to take out the Div 2 Women’s Asian Championship in Chon Buri.

Incredibly, the Dragons were only scored against in one match, a 5.5.35 to 1.1.7 win over the Thailand Tigers.

The Dragons combined a hard running and skilled midfield led by Annie Buntine and Raine Sinarimbo with athletic tall forwards Kirralee Luiyf and Alexander Joseph-Hui, while Lucy White controlled the Dragons’ defence.

Playing in her second Asian Championship, Raine Sinarimbo said that she was ‘overwhelmed’ with the experience of winning the cup.

‘I really love this game,’ she said. ‘When I started playing three years ago everybody at the Dragons was so friendly and the club is so well organised.’

All Asian representative and Grand Final Best Player Annie Buntine said the team’s success was ‘mostly just good vibes, to be honest.’

‘We obviously have a lot of talent as well, but the team is just such a good place to be,’ she said.

‘Everyone builds each other up, so I feel like that’s carried us today.’

Runner-up Indonesia brought a young team made up mostly of locals from the Jakarta Bintangs and Bali Geckos, part of an incredible effort to bring three teams to Thailand for the Championships – Men’s Div 1 and Div 3, and Women’s Div 2.

Indonesia’s big win came over the Barbarians – in a semi-final, scoring 3.1.19 to the Barbarians 2.1.13 to put them through to the Grand Final against Hong Kong.

Thailand also fielded a very young team full of local talent, many of whom came through the club’s Communities United by Sport (CUBS) program. While they didn’t register a win, they pushed eventual runner-up Indonesia hard in the qualifying round, scoring 1.0.6 to Indonesia’s 2.1.13.

The Barbarians fielded a team made up of players from many nations including Australia, China, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam and even Jamaica!

Final Women’s Div 2 Standings

1. Hong Kong
2. Indonesia
3. Barbarians
4. Thailand