THE 2022 SFNL A Grade netball season was a historic one for the Red Cliffs team.
They didn’t make the finals, but what they did achieve was end a 2891-day winless drought.
Emotions spilled over on Saturday, May 7, when they secured a nail-biting two-point victory against the previously unbeaten South Mildura.
In one of the feel-good moments of the season, it marked their first win since June 2014.
The team went on to finish the home-and-away season with a 4-11 win-loss record, putting them in second last.
However, the team under the guidance of Steph O’Loughlin was competitive throughout the season.
O’Loughlin has stepped aside as head coach this year, with the reins thrown back to 2021 mentor Chantal Allford, who can’t be more excited about the young players coming through the ranks.
Just as it is with the club’s football program, this is a period of turning the Tigers into a powerhouse of Sunraysia netball.
While she is yet to finalise a team, Allford is tipping big things for the Tigers in 2023.
“As much as they did an amazing last year, we want to do better this season,” she said. “We don’t want to be one of those clubs in the bottom two all the time.
“I believe that these girls have the ability to actually push into fourth spot (behind last year’s dominant trio of Wentworth, Ouyen United and Mildura).
“I feel like we have built up some momentum and we want to keep it going.”
