Dees look sharp as finals loom
A TOP-TWO finish looks secured for Mildura after they flexed their muscles over Robinvale Euston, winning 81 to 37 at John James Oval.
The well-oiled Demons machine moved the ball with incredible speed and precision, rarely putting a foot wrong over four quarters.
Captain Jess McNamara was on the end of everything and proved why she deserves to sit alongside Amanda Edwards as arguably the best shooter in the comp, scoring 30 goals in the first half.
The Dees even made a rare switch for the second half with McNamara moving to GK and Zara Copley getting an opportunity under the ring. She would finish in GA in the final term with 42 total goals.
Following a 20-10 quarter-time lead, the Eagles shifted gun centre Taneh Romeo to goal defence to support Georgie Kelly and Tayisha Ricker. While her cool head was an asset, the sheer volume of attacking passes from the Demons was too hard to stop.
Romeo would move back to GA for third term alongside Georgia Giofrelle.
While much has been made of Mildura’s shooters McNamara and Ellie Vincent, Maddie Alvino’s impact at WA cannot be underestimated, with her ability to separate from her defender and find the right target crucial to their movements.
Defensive trio Ava Zadow, Milli Seward and Katelyn Challis were at their intercepting best and Ally Leng pulled the strings in centre court.
The versatile duo of Romeo and Carmen Garreffa were strong performers for the Eagles while Giofrelle’s long range shooting was again a feature. Youngster Leisi Kirirua Gill also had some impressive moments.
– Mitch Rodd
Irymple’s Mackenzie Ryan. Picture: Paula Mastrippolito
Swallows far too strong
IRYMPLE maintained their top-four position on the SFNL A Grade table with an emphatic 26-goal victory over hosts Imperials at the Brian Weightman Oval courts.
A solid defensive performance saw the Swallows extend their lead each quarter against the team ranked seventh on the ladder to finish 58-32 victors.
“We played three very good quarters today and then we had a bit of a lapse in the last,” Irymple coach Sherrie Geister said.
“It was a very handy win and I thought our defence over all of the court was outstanding. It was just a very good team effort and nobody really stood out. Everyone had some really good patches.”
That will need to be replicated, plus some, as they host unbeaten juggernaut Wentworth next round.
“I just told the girls after the game to give our best next week and what will be will be, that’s all we can do,” Geister said.
Irymple had winners all over the court, but Sophie Price and Shakara Delcastegne were named the team’s best.
Imperials battled hard but remain mired in the bottom third of the competition with a 3-8-2 record and head to Merbein for their next encounter.
Laci McHugh and Laura Hayter were chosen as the home side’s best two.
– Tym Glaser
Picture: Ben Gross
Magpies still in hunt
MERBEIN kept their finals hopes alive with a come-from-behind 48-35 win against Red Cliffs in their SFNL A Grade netball clash at Quandong Park.
The Magpies were behind by a goal at half-time on Saturday, but a 15-4 third-quarter blitz helped set up a win that kept Breigh Hammet’s sixth-placed team in the hunt for a top-four berth with only three rounds left.
The 7-6 Pies are locked in a four-way battle for third and fourth as they sit a game behind Ouyen United, South Mildura and Irymple.
Hammet said her team would need to overcome poor starts to compete with the league’s best.
“We’ve been getting into a bad habit of slow starts. It finally came together in the second half when we made a few changes, and it settled us down in the goal circle,” she said.
“It is hard when the shots aren’t dropping and the players then put it on themselves.
“Emily Gray through wing attack made a huge difference bringing it down for us.
“We just need to put all that good stuff together over four quarters.”
The Magpies’ run to the finals includes games against Imperials, Wentworth and Irymple.
“We’re still in the mix and chasing,” Hammet said.
“If we can get to the point where we put the full four quarters like we did in the last Irymple game, then we’ll be good.
“We just can’t play catch-up, especially against the top teams.”
Red Cliffs remain winless this season.
– Matt Taylor
Picture: Ben Gross
Kangas win on the road
NO Kyra Nathan, no worries for the Kangas, as they continued their late season surge to improve their claim to a top-four position.
The injection of 14-year-old star shooter Maggie Smith after quarter time was the boost Ouyen needed after South Mildura controlled the first quarter.
The Kangas missed Nathan’s leadership and poise early, but adapted as the game progressed. The defensive efforts of Tsharni Burns and Esther Manley allowed Ouyen’s attacking half to get away with a few errors at times when they were adjusting.
The second and third quarters were dominated by Ouyen. They turned a four-goal quarter deficit into a five-goal lead at the last break. South Mildura improved in the last quarter, but the Kangas were able to hold strong to secure the win that they bizarrely missed out on last time around against the Bulldogs.
Bulldogs’ shooter Sarah Telfer was exceptional and Tayla Sellens provided South with plenty of grit and drive.
The loss puts South Mildura’s top-four spot in jeopardy. Recent form would be concerning, with injuries being a factor in that drop. They have not won any of their past five games, which they will have to reverse soon if they wish to play finals.
