ZOE ASKEW
NETBALL
GIPPSLAND LEAGUE
BY ZOE ASKEW
IN the end it was all too easy.
Morwell Football-Netball Club wrapped their claws around the 2022 Gippsland League A
Grade premiership cup with a 44 to 32 win against Leongatha.
The clock read 3pm, and black clouds rolled across the sky almost as if the Earth was
saddened that the final instalment of 2022 netball was here.
Wind ripped across the Moe court as the Tigers and the Parrots strode onto the blue asphalt, taking their places for the 2022 premiership battle.
Sixty minutes would pass, and the apex carnivores would wrap their razor-sharp teeth around the Parrots, ultimately devouring the birds in a 12-goal Grand Final victory.
The whistle blew, the Tigers pounced, and the Parrots flew; Gippsland League’s A Grade
Grand Final started hard, it started fast, and it started rough.
Intensity radiated from the court like heat from a flame, watching eyes captivated by the physical aptitude showcased in front of them.
Both teams boasted incredible pace in the midcourt through Morwell’s centre Chloe Radford
and Leongatha’s Nicola Marriott. Radford and Marriott exhibited explosive acceleration from
the first centre pass, which had sides driving the ball into their offensive third at lightning
speed.
The first quarter had Leongatha’s goal shooter, Jess Edgar, goal attack, Hannah Flanders and wing attack, Taylah Brown, boasting a dangerous collaboration in the Parrots’ offensive third.
Edgar, Brown and Flanders’ exceptional speed and collaborative fluidity played a significant
role in the Parrots’ penetration of the shooting circle.
But for the Parrots, the challenge wasn’t infiltrating the shooting circle, despite Morwell’s
wing defence Tanya Budge making it particularly hard.
Edgar and Flanders’ real challenge would be facing the Tigers’ unquestionably tenacious,
exceptionally strong defenders, Courtney Garth and Shannon Freeman.
If ever there were players who undoubtedly reciprocated the characteristics of their club’s
mascot, it is Garth, Freeman and Budge. Like Tigers, Garth, Freeman and Budge possess
fierce strength, incredible athleticism and legs of rippling muscle, enabling their stunning
vertical propulsion. When these three were among play, it was near impossible to look away.
Just as the Parrots looked as if they were about to level the score five minutes into the
game, Garth made a breathtaking intercept which had the Tigers’ goal shooter and captain,
Daisy Hill, score a breakpoint goal.
Morwell was struck a blow as the Tiger’s starting wing attack, Rachel Tatterson, collapsed to the ground.
Tatterson, whose powerful vertical jump had seen the attacking wing make several incredible intercepts in the game’s opening minutes, retired from the court; her Gippsland League Grand Final campaign had ended.
The Tigers had the lead; the Parrots fought hard to hold on.
Using her speed and harnessing her ability to read the play, Brown played a fundamental role in driving the ball into the Parrots’ offensive third, feeding the ball well to Edgar in the
shooting ring.
Despite relentless pressure from Garth and Freeman, Edgar exhibited hot shooting accuracy, powerful verticals and unwavering ferocity.
The Parrots would not catch the Tigers by the end of the first quarter, Morwell leading 11 to 7 as teams entered the second.
Tension was rising; the sun, now peeping through the cloud, illuminated the Tiger army
sitting at the end of the court, reflecting a dazzling array of black and gold as they roared
in encouragement.
Both teams returned to the court zealous, tenacious, pugnacious; it was damn nearly World War III out on Moe FNC’s netball court.
The Parrots’ worked rigorously in the midcourt, Marriott absolutely relentless, and Leongatha began to close the Tigers’ lead – briefly.
The Tigers cautiously stalked their prey, every player’s movement a synchronically strategic
manoeuvre to illicit a successful attack; time to pounce.
Budge bounds toward the ball with ferocious speed, wrapping her hands around the air-filled, hardened rubber, executing a spectacular intercept.
Budge to Radford.
Radford finds the Tigers new wing attack, Sasika Eenjes. Eenjes back to Radford at the top
of the shooting ring.
A feed to Hill, you just know that’s going to be a goal.
Thunderous applause sounds from the Tiger army as the ball is returned to centre court.
Radford has the ball. Radford to Eenjes, Eenjes finds Hill. Hill to Morwell’s goal attack, Claire Allison. Allison scores.
The Tigers were roaring, Hill and Allison kept scoring.
Morwell extended to a six-point lead at the end of the second; Morwell, 22, Leongatha, 16.
The rain, which persisted throughout the entire second quarter, began to ease as the teams entered the third.
The energy was so intense, it was rendered truly indescribable.
Leongatha’s strongest asset was undoubtedly their offensive ability, through Marriott, Brown, Flanders and Edgar, but they were no match against Garth and Freeman.
They were letting nothing through that hoop.
Well, almost nothing; Edgar and Flanders managed to claim three goals each in the third
quarter.
Down the other end of the court, Hill sunk goals like the Leongatha footy teams would have sunk beers on Saturday night – one after another.
The Tigers broke a 10-goal lead, and as teams headed into the final quarter, Morwell led
Leongatha, 34 to 22.
Light rain descended from the sky, gently falling onto the blue court like white ash before
disappearing, quickly becoming a slip hazard for players.
Where’s the sign that reads: slippery when wet?
The Parrots were locked inside the Tigers jaw; there was no escape.
Leongatha’s wing defence, Kayla Redpath, goal defence Laura Higgins and goalkeeper Lauren Redpath continued to apply defensive pressure in the final quarter, but there was no stopping the Tigers now.
They were there to win, and win they would.
The Parrots made a squark, as Flanders and Edgar collectively shot 10 goals in the fourth,
but with five goals from Hill and Allison, it was too little, too late.
The final whistle sounded, the Tigers bit down, and the Parrots were toast.
In a particularly stunning match and a very special 250th game for Allison, the Tigers retained their undefeated status and claimed the 2022 Gippsland League premiership.
Garth was voted best on court, with Andrew Livingston from the Gippsland League board
awarding her the medallion.
In the moments following the Tigers’ monumental win, Morwell FNC’s A Grade coach Rachel Patterson, was nearly lost for words.
“The whole club has supported us the whole season, and we are very grateful and appreciative of that, so thank you,” she said.
“Thank you to all the supporters; you guys are amazing.
“To the girls right here in front of me, we’ve had a cracker of a year right and, well, I actually don’t know what else to say. I think I have to process this and talk more about it later,” she said, laughing.
“One last thank you to the league; what a finals series hey, it has been awesome.”
