YOUTHFUL Mildura line-up could not stop the irresistible force that is Wentworth, with the Roos still unbeaten in SFNL A Grade netball in 2021.
The visitors’ seventh haul of 60-plus points in nine game against the Demons at Brian Weightman Oval now sets them up for another massive encounter with fellow premiership fancies Ouyen United this weekend.
The Demons made Wentworth earn their 30-22 half-time lead, but the longer the game went on, the more the fitness and speed of Wentworth came to the fore.
A great one-on-one battle between Wentworth defender Christie Becker and Demon talisman Abbey Madden was a highlight, although the young guns of Mildura all shone at different periods.
Wentworth coach Amanda Edwards was happy to claim the four points, but it wasn’t a perfect performance from her side.
“Today we were good in patches, I think we could have been a lot better over the four quarters, so that’s something to take away from the game,” she said.
“There’s definitely positive signs there but a few things to work on at the same time.
“They’re a quality side, they’ve got such great youth coming up. I think they could be making the top four. There’s an opportunity there for them, so they’re a team to watch.
“It was a great match-up with Christie and Abbey. They were tussling and really right on each other. Christie is just such as a workhorse, as is Abbey, so it was a great match-up.”
Wentworth’s own young gun, Molly Mangan, played the first half at GA alongside Edwards, before usual partner in crime Liz Rowe entered the fray in the second half and scored quickly.
Mangan’s performance got the nod of approval from her coach.
“She’s so versatile for us,” Edwards said.
“She’s a great little feeder in to me as well. But she’s been performing well in our 17s and our senior group, so she deserved that.
“We’ve got great versatility out there and the options are endless.”
Edwards said her players backed themselves when it came to fitness.
“We try and keep our fitness up, we train twice a week and the girls are gymming and doing all their extra little bits,” she said.
“I have no doubt that our fitness is fine during the whole game, it’s just those little errors we can fix up.”
WENTWORTH 61 – MILDURA 46
BEST:
Wentworth: C. Becker, D. Wall.
Mildura: Z. Copley, A. Leng.
WENTWORTH ARE RAPID: The speed of passing from the ladder leaders is so fast you often don’t know if you’ve witnessed the first or the sixth throw in the chain. The ability to open space for Ashlee Cameron and Demi Wall to feed into their shooters makes it hard for any defence to stop.
FINDING THE FUN: Am I just soft, or are there others who take pleasure in watching sports people visibly enjoying their game? Wentworth defensive pair Natalie Vercher and Courtney Wakefield are a tough duo to break through, however their constant smiles and banter showed genuine enjoyment warmed my slightly cooler heart. Not having conceded enough goals to lose a game in 2021 probably helps that fact.
YOUNG GUNS: Mildura are a good side chockfull of young talent. Zara Copley and Ava Zadow could form a devastating attacking duo in time, with Copley in particular finding the net a number of times in spectacular fashion. It’s also a hard task to go with Wentworth centre Cameron, however Alex Leng was impressive in their duel and more than held her own.
