Aidan BARBOUR-RYAN

“But it is not an easy journey. We’ve chosen the toughest possible way to go and do that but we have done it the right way and over the next couple of years I think we will start to see the benefits of the whole female programme. “Obviously we have the World Cup next year and we are pretty excited by that, but I just have to special mention to our older players. They are, like, 22. It’s been tough but in the end we took points off all but one club and were the only team to beat Otumoetai and we played some really good football in amongst it. But we couldn’t have done it without the old girls coming back. Ranui noted that some of these “older” players had needed to learn the art of tolerance for the first time, while with the younger players Melville had unearthed some real gems.

One of these was Rylee Mardon, who was named young player of the year. Ali Galletly was named players’ player. “She played every minute of every game, even with a broken toe at the end and was an absolute legend. Probably out of everybody she had the toughest social job in that most of her friends were in the other group but she kept showing up, and without her we weren’t fielding 11 players.

Melville director of football Sam Wilkinson said he saw a lot of parallels in the women with where the men’s team were at in 2017.

“It does take time to grow and each year you get stronger, so you’ve got the toughest year out of the way so keep doing what you are doing, ” he said. “I thought in the second half of the season you were outstanding. While men’s first team award winners were not named, Wilkinson offered a big thank you to everyone behind the scenes. “The fact the first team has had a pretty good year this year goes well beyond the players and the direct staff. There is so much work that goes on in the background. On behalf of the first team players and staff thank you all for your efforts. “I’d also like to make mention to you all as supporters as well. I think in terms of home and away matches this is easily the best in terms of how we have been supported. It means a great deal. I think back to the Wanderers game here and think it was easily the best atmosphere I’ve seen in a local game in a long, long time. “I said to someone during the year, even if it is just three or four Melville scarves in the corner at an away game it does make a difference and give the lads a lift and in some of those tight games it has just pushed us over the edge. It doesn’t go unnoticed.