THE 2022 SFNL A Grade netball grand final was sporting theatre at its best and arguably outshone the senior football decider that day.
The epic encounter, won by a single goal by Wentworth against arch rivals Ouyen United, was played in front of an enthralled crowd of nearly 1000 people indoors at Mildura Sporting Precinct.
Last year’s netball deciders were played outdoors at MSP, where many felt the atmosphere was, in comparison, flat.
Thankfully, the SFNL board is now pushing for this year’s netball grand finals to be returned indoors.
According to SFNL netball representative Yelena Richardson, the clubs are split 5-4 against the return to an indoor decider.
I get their concerns around the potential for another slippery surface, warm conditions, glare and the fact that the entire season is played outdoors.
However, those factors have been raised by SFNL management with the stadium’s bosses in recent days in an attempt to allay the fears.
I strongly urge clubs to recognise that the positives around the entertainment value of an A-grade indoor netball grand final, with seating promised this year for at least 700 spectators, far outweigh the negatives.
All you need to do is read what Kangas’ playing coach Kyra Nathan told me this week about what it was like playing in the 2022 indoor finale.
“I would love everyone to experience what it was like to play in that game,” she said.
“When a goal was scored or the crowd was celebrating a good play, the noise was absolutely deafening.
“The whole standard of play lifted so much because of the atmosphere. And here’s the thing: it is the same conditions for both teams.”
As for her message to the old guard who are standing in the way of progress, Nathan said: “I really don’t like it when I hear people say, ‘but that is the way it’s always been done’.
“I hear that a lot. We need to be progressing and making sure netball is the premier sport for females.”
