Tigers aim to taste victory again

COACH: Chantal Allford

ARRIVALS: Mikayla Mole, Ruby Cope, Lola O’Connor, Louisa Stephens, Cassie Hibberd.

DEPARTURES: Steph O’Loughlin.

THE 2022 SFNL A Grade netball season was a historic one for the Red Cliffs team.

They didn’t make the finals, but they did end a 2891-day winless run.

Emotions spilled over on Saturday, May 7, when the Tigers secured a nail-biting two-point victory against the previously unbeaten South Mildura.

In one of the feelgood moments of the season, the Tigers 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 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.

Jazmin parker, Yelena Richardson and Jacqulyn Bell will play important roles again, aided by new shooter Ruby Cope, defensive additions Mikayla Mole and Lola O’Connor and Louisa Stephens in mid-court. Young shooter Cassie Hibberd is also set to be blooded in.

Allford is tipping big things for the Tigers in 2023.

“As much as they had an amazing last year, we want to do better this season. We don’t want to be one of those clubs in the bottom two all the time,” she said.

“I believe that these girls have the ability to actually push into fourth spot (behind last year’s dominant trio Wentworth, Ouyen United and Mildura).

“I feel like we have built up some momentum and we want to keep it going.”