MILDURA had just put Imperials to the sword in their SFNL A Grade netball game before attention quickly turned to their titanic clash with fellow unbeaten side Wentworth this weekend.
The Dees were commanding in their 63-24 win against Imps.
In fact, it was their best defensive effort of the season, bettering the 28 goals conceded to Ouyen United in round 4.
Dees captain Jess McNamara said her team was improving each week as they prepared for the tough assignment against the defending premiers in round 9.
“There are things we still need to improve on, but we’ve had seven games to build up towards playing Wentworth, and I think we’ll be ready for the challenge,” she said.
The reigning Jackie Horkings medallist gave a nod to the team’s impressive defence.
“Our defence has been really good all season,” McNamara said.
“Every player on the court has a defensive role to play, including in the offensive circle.”
She lauded the depth in the Dees’ starting five and bench, and said that would be an important against the Roos.
“To beat them, we’ll need a strong effort throughout the court,” she said. “They are very talented and will defeat us if we don’t play well as a team.”
– Matt Taylor
Bulldogs show bite
SOUTH Mildura’s sublime second-half performance against Robinvale Euston takes them to third place on the SFNL A Grade netball table.
The Dogs’ 64-33 victory over a youthful Eagles outfit has allowed them to leapfrog Irymple, who had the bye, to sit behind only the undefeated Wentworth and Mildura in the pecking order.
It was an impressively athletic affair, the eye-catching contest presenting two of the brightest young stars in the competition, South goal defence Morna Naquto and Eagles goal attack Georgia Giofrelle in a brilliant one-on-one duel.
Both could lay claim to being their respective side’s top player, with the fleet-footed Giofrelle finding space and shooting well, while Naquto was also dominant in the air, pulling in a number of interceptions.
As the game wore on it was South’s full-court defence, impressive passing sequences and a deadly Ellen Brewster in goals that helped stretch an 11-goal half-time lead into a 31-goal victory in goal keeper Sharne Lane’s 100th A Grade game.
Coach Sally Moore was impressed with how her side adjusted as the game progressed.
“It was a different kind of contest to what we had been up against over the past few weeks,” she said.
“The girls adjusted really during the game and we were thrilled at how the scoreboard ended up from a defensive perspective and we were really happy with our transitions as well.
“Robinvale Euston are young and fast, and young Georgia is a great attacker, which meant Morna really had a job on her hands today.
“What was pleasing was how the girls adapted to a different style of play and were able change their own style to suit what was happening.”
Moore also praised the work of midcourt trio Tara Bate, Raquel Ban and Tayla Sellens for their work with and without possession.
– Mitch Rodd
Roos roll on
REIGNING premiers Wentworth continued on their winning ways in the SFNL A Grade competition with a whopping 40-goal victory over hosts Merbein at the Kenny Park courts.
Things looked bleak at the half-time break for the Magpies as they were 17 down but any hopes of a second-half rally or an easing off by the rampaging Roos failed to materialise as the visitors simply cranked up their game all over the court.
They held Merbein to a mere two goals in the third period while piling on 17 on their way to a 64-24 rout.
Swarming defence was a key to the victory but the champions dominated all over the court.
Natalie Vercher and Ashlee Cameron were chosen the team’s best, but that honour could have gone to any of the starting seven.
“That was a very good performance today,” Wenty coach and sharpshooter Amanda Edwards said.
“We know we have a target on our back and expect a tough game each week, so I am very proud of how the team has responded.”
The undefeated side faces perhaps its toughest challenge against undefeated Mildura this weekend.
After a solid first quarter, Merbein, whose record has slipped to 3-4, simply could not match the size, speed and pace of ball movement of Wentworth. Sophie Kroehn and Olivia Bowden were named their best.
– Tym Glaser
Kangas hopping
IT might have been a slow start, but the Ouyen United Kangas are coming hard in the middle of the SFNL season.
The Kangas have been plagued by unavailability in the first part of the season. The seven starters on Saturday were closest they have been to replicating their 2022 grand final team, much to the relief of Kangas coach Kyra Nathan.
The one glaring omission is the retired and “irreplaceable” Casey Crothers.
“We lost both our shooters (Casey Crothers and the injured Tayla Willsmore) from last season, so we are finally seeing new combinations work out in our games,“ Nathan said.
“It took us a while to get going today. Red Cliffs had a great start, leading 5-1 at one stage. We were able to generate a few turnovers and then our goals started to go in.”
The previous week Catherine Brown was Ouyen’s leading scorer, but she was Ouyen’s best at her natural goal defence on Saturday.
Brown’s ability at both ends is a brilliant asset that Nathan can use week to week.
“She was amazing,” Nathan said. “She shot at 95 per cent for us last week, but we wanted a tall and a short goaler this week. Her combination in defence with Tsharni Burns is tried and successful, so we used that today.”
Kangas captain Esther Manley led from the front, shooting 21 goals in the first half on her way to 32 for the match.
Red Cliffs would take confidence from their 11-goal first quarter, being level with the Kangas at the break, and winning the last quarter.
Centre Jacqulyn Bell was their best in a great contest against Kangas dynamo Ellen Morrish.
– Nic Vine
