By David Nagel
Wow…what a weekend of netball!
The WGFNC came to life in round nine with three games being decided by less than four goals in the best round of netball for the season.
And the high-quality continues over the next fortnight with some bumper contests set down as we begin the build-up to the league-wide bye on July 1.
Let’s begin this week’s recap at Dalyston, where Tooradin-Dalmore prevailed by two goals – 45-43 – in a game of two very contrasting halves.
Dalyston was caught napping in the opening quarter as the visiting Seagulls put on a powerful display of disciplined all-court netball.
The Gulls raced out to a 13-6 lead at quarter time on the back of some great defensive work through the midcourt, where Stacey Sawyer (C), Abbey Howes (WA) and Zoe Coventry (WD) refused to give the Magpies an inch of space.
Ebony Mason (GK) and Jess Maher (GD) continued that theme in the second term, and the Seagulls looked set for a comfortable victory, leading 27-18 at half time.
But the Magpies were up for the fight, with coach Alana McRae (C) making no positional changes but asking her team for a stronger second-half performance.
And the Magpies delivered, outscoring the Seagulls 12-7 in the third term to narrow the margin to four goals at three-quarter time.
The Magpies continued to charge in the final stanza, with attacking types like Ruby Brosnan (WA), Sophie Scott (WD) and Bitt Thomas (GA) providing some great feeds to Gemma Thomas (GS) under the ring.
It was only the calm and composed hand of Alex Maher (GS) that saw the Seagulls keep their perfect nine-nil record intact.
Nar Nar Goon was celebrating big-time on Saturday after the Goon overcame a three-quarter-time deficit to defeat Kilcunda-Bass in a 58-55 thriller at Spencer Street.
What a roller-coaster ride this was, with the visiting Panthers leading 15-12 at quarter time before the Goon girls bounced back with a 16-11 second term.
Down by two at half time, the Panthers came roaring back with a 16-13 third stanza to take a one-goal lead to the final break.
It was game on in the last, with class acts like Meaghan Winter (WA), Olivia Hamilton (C) and Kyra Esler (GA) leading the Goon to a 17-13 final quarter and a memorable three-goal victory.
Esler stood up under the immense pressure in the final term, scoring 12 of her team’s 17 goals from goal attack.
The Panthers are improving all the time and players like Isabella Santorini (GS), Grace Rand (WA) and Kacey Maund (C) can all walk away proud of their efforts despite being down on the scoreboard.
Phillip Island and Cora Lynn also played out a beauty at the Cowes Recreation Reserve, with the Bulldogs winning a tight one…43-39.
The Cobras came in confident, winning their last two, but it was the Bulldogs who held sway early.
Christie Edwards (GA) was on fire in the first quarter, providing first-gamer Meika White (GS) with some high-quality passing that the youngster capitalised on.
White showed no nerves at all, scoring seven goals in her first ever A Grade game!
The Bulldogs led by four at quarter time, but the Cobras fought back hard in the second stanza with Bianca Douglas (GS) doing most of the damage.
The game was still up for grabs at the final break, with the Bulldogs three-goals up…and they played solid-enough netball to claim their fourth win for the season, and third in four weeks!
Jaclyn Clark (WD) was rock-solid for the winners in the final term, while skipper Gemma Stacey (GA) was a consistent performer for the Cobras.
Ruthless and efficient!
That sums up the performance of reigning-premier Inverloch-Kongwak, who scored a 75-23 victory over its grand-final protagonist from last year, Bunyip.
The Sea Eagles have well and truly maintained their level from last year, while the Bulldogs have dropped away from that extremely hot pace.
Jarrad Walker had his team fired up from the outset; with an 18-7 first quarter a sign of things to come.
Walker made more changes than normal in the second half, with 17-under player Amity McInnes (GK) taking up the key defensive post after half time.
The Sea Eagles applied a mountain of pressure, resulting in opportunities to intercept, and were very clean with their disposal moving the ball forward.
Garfield is knocking on the door of the top six after the Stars put paid to Warragul Industrials with a 72-34 victory at Western Park.
The Dusties had no answer to the Stars midcourt in the first quarter, with Chloe Bluhm (WA), Ash Bowden (C) and Macy Newcombe (WD) providing Tyla Redwood (GS) with a feast.
Redwood scored 15 first-quarter goals, and ended with 48 of the Stars 72 goals for the day.
This was the Dusties highest score since round three, with Shanara Notman (GS) and Kyra Roberts (GK) proving valuable bookends at either end of the court.
Hard work has finally been converted into four premiership points for Kooweerup, with the Demons scoring a comfortable 58-38 success over Korumburra -Bena.
The Demons came out of the blocks the better team and gradually pulled away over the four quarters, with players like Talia Charalambides (GD), Jayda McConkey (GS) and Ash Murphy (GA) enjoying the slight drop in class after recent outings against Tooradin and Inverloch.
Gemma Dixon (GD), Elisha Nicholas (GA) and Sienna Cruikshank (WD) were solid four-quarter performers for the Giants…who have now lost four on the trot.
TIPS – Round 10
INVERLOCH-KONGWAK v Cora Lynn, KILCUNDA-BASS v Warragul Industrials, KOOWEERUP v Garfield, Nar Nar Goon v DALYSTON, PHILLIP ISLAND v Korumburra Bena, TOORADIN-DALMORE v Bunyip.