AMANDA Edwards was on automatic pilot as she effortlessly drained 50 goals in Wentworth’s 77-33 trouncing of Imperials at George Gordon Oval’s netball courts on Saturday.
The Roos’ playing coach and her attacking partner-in-crime, Liz Rowe, gave their younger opponents little chance of stopping the duo under the ring as the home team extended their winning run to 57 games.
In a week dominated by headlines about whether this Wentworth team is the ‘GOAT’ – the greatest of all time – Edwards continues to put up a good case for being one of the individual GOATs.
Trish Wilson is rightly seen as the best-ever player since the SFNL A Grade competition began in 1991, having won 12 flags with two teams (Imps, 1991-96, and Wentworth, 1997-2002).
But Edwards has joined her among not just among SFNL netball royalty but also Sunraysia sporting folklore.
A teenage Edwards was part of the 2002 grand final win by Wentworth.
After then, she became a dominant force for the Mildura Heat representative basketball team and has orchestrated the Roos’ netball dynasty over the past five years.
In the twilight of her career, Edwards keeps her body and mind in good nick.
After the commanding win against Imps, Sunraysia Daily gained an interested insight into what makes her such a good shooter.
“We do the shooting practice in our time. I try to put up plenty of shots for at least 20 minutes a day,” she said.
How many shots a day is that?
“About 500. But that’s part of being a goalie,” Edwards said.
It’s also being part of what’s become an elite, semi-professional SFNL netball program.
Asked if she ever has an off shooting day, she said: “Yes, absolutely.
“When it’s windy. They are not good days for shooters.”
Back in brilliant sunshine after a wet, freezing game day a week earlier, Edwards had little or no wind to contend with against Imps.
She then pointed to a key reason behind her side’s success.
“By moving the ball quickly, it makes it harder for other teams to apply pressure on us,” Edwards said.
