NETBALL
GIPPSLAND LEAGUE
Morwell will face their toughest test yet in defending premiers Traralgon in this weekend’s top-of-table headliner in Gippsland league A grade netball action.
The Tigers have taken all before them so far this season, with the exception of a lone loss to Drouin at the weekend and will be hard-pressed to return to the winner’s list against the Maroons on Saturday.
Traralgon returned to the form that helped them run home with last year’s flag and made light work of Maffra to win by 40 goals despite missing three of their 2017 premiership players.
Defender Ramayer Gourley, midcourters Stacey O’Brien and Kate French and shooter Maddie Stockdale have all been missing from the starting seven and while O’Brien made a triumphant return from injury against Maffra the other three are still a while off.
“I was really pleased with the fact we played four quarters against Maffra on Saturday,” Maroons coach Caitlan Ponton said.
“We were up by a bit at half-time and one of the things we’ve been lacking in recent weeks is running out four quarters and we did that really well on the weekend.”
Ponton said the return of Stacey O’Brien to the midcourt was a “massive win” and couldn’t speak highly enough of her importance to the side.
“Stacey was back and was great … every week she gets better and better and she’s an incredible player and everything just flowed a lot easier with her in,” she said.
Ahead of this weekend’s clash with Morwell, Ponton said it would be “one of the harder games”.
“It’s hard because Morwell are a completely different side to last year so it’s hard to know what to expect,” she said.
“They’ve been playing some really good netball so we’ve just got to focus on us and let the rest sort itself out.”
Maffra v Moe
Moe coach Peter Moody had to “mix and match” goalers for round eight’s win over Wonthaggi due to some key absences but was buoyed about his side’s chances against Maffra this weekend.
“It was a good win to get over the top of Wonthaggi and we missed both goalers but the girls worked really hard on their defensive pressure all over and gave us enough opportunities to be able to make up for it,” Moody said.
“When you miss both your shooters you can throw things out a bit, but we’re lucky that we’ve got some good reserves.”
Georgia Moody will slot back into the side at goal attack this weekend after fulfilling VNL duties.
Maffra couldn’t get within striking distance of defending premiers Traralgon and were trounced by 40 goals.
Moody earmarked this weekend’s clash with the Eagles as a really important game.
“They had a bad loss and are going to want to bounce back,” he said.
“I don’t know too much about them but they’ve got Emma Allman who plays well through the midcourt.”
Moody said defenders Emily McInnes and Shannon Freeman had been pivotal to the Lions’ set up.
“Emily and Shannon are playing great netball and they’re managing to restrict the flow from the opposition attack, which is great,” he said.
Sale v Leongatha
Sale will have their best shot at a second win for season 2018 this weekend when they host Leongatha on Saturday.
The Magpies made the journey to Warragul in round eight but were no match for the Gulls on home turf and were outdone by 17 goals.
Leongatha were too strong for Bairnsdale and notched their third of the season, 55-50.
Sale are languishing at the bottom of the Gippsland league A grade ladder while Leongatha are two spots above in eighth.
Bairnsdale v Warragul
Bairnsdale will host Warragul this weekend in a battle for sixth spot on the table.
Bairnsdale fell to Leongatha in round eight by five goals while Warragul were too strong for Sale and overran them by 17 goals.
Bairnsdale are sitting one spot outside the top five but are two games off the pace of Maffra in fifth.
The Gulls are matched on games won but are behind on percentage.
Wonthaggi v Drouin
Drouin have hit ominous form ahead of round nine and will be firm favourites to take the points against Wonthaggi this weekend.
The 2017 runners-up delivered Morwell their first loss of season 2018 in an impressive all-court performance at home, 58-47.
Wonthaggi were no match for Moe and went down by nine goals.
Drouin are poised in third spot on the A grade ladder with five wins and two losses, a game off the pace of Traralgon in second, while Wonthaggi have just the one win to their name and sit at the other end in ninth.
