LIAM DURKIN
NETBALL
MID GIPPSLAND
By LIAM DURKIN
SOME things never change
Yinnar is out to complete an unbeaten season in this weekend’s Mid Gippsland Football-Netball League A Grade netball Grand Final.
The Magpies will take to the Ronald Reserve courts, hoping to cap off a season that will see them named not only premiers, but champions as well.
They will also be hoping the club has already secured a number of flags before the A Grade game starts.
Saturday is set to be a huge day for the black and white faithful, who have all four netball teams in the Grand Final, as well as reserves football.
Surely president’s shout if it’s a clean sweep?
Before that however, Yinnar has games to win, not least A Grade.
Having been a dominant force in Mid Gippsland A Grade for a number of years, the Magpies find themselves back in the Grand Final.
Yinnar missed out last year following a nail-biting loss to Toora in a home preliminary final.
The ‘other Magpies’ then went on to win the flag against Mirboo North.
Yinnar certainly wasn’t going to take losing a preliminary final at home lightly, and as coach Skye McDonald said, the team was determined to set about forging ahead in season 2023.
“It hurt a lot (missing the Grand Final last year). It just made us hungrier and more driven to get there. This year we have new and returning people in the team, which allows us to have fresh minds and legs coming on at different times throughout the game,” she said.
“We are a lot more settled this year, more connected, more patient and that drive is strong and will be a force for us.”
With Mirboo North dropping off the A Grade radar, the Magpies have taken care of opponents week by week, and will go into this weekend’s clash having had a week’s rest.
McDonald said the team had looked to keep their routine as normal as possible.
“We had our regular, hard, mid-week training session and gave our bodies and minds a much needed rest and recharge over the weekend to be fresh for the big dance,” she said.
“We put our energy towards supporting and cheering on the rest of the club over at Foster (in the preliminary final).
“We are all feeling nervous, as expected going into the biggest game of the year, but we also have a sense of calm about us and really excited. We have all our senior netball sides in, reserves and under 18s, so we know we have the whole clubs support behind us.
“We are just thrilled to be there and be a part of it.”
In preparing to take on Toora, McDonald believed the letter P was vital.
“Patience, presence, and pressure. Toora are a phenomenal side, but so are we. We are fairly evenly matched across the court, but if we consistently apply the three P’s throughout the 60 minutes, we’ll get the win,” she said.
No shortage of support: The Yinnar faithful are expected to flock to the Grand Final courts again this weekend, just as they did last year. File photographs
Player profiles
Caitie Patten GK/GD:
Don’t let the smile on her face deceive you. With a stretch over the ball making it hard to see the ring and intercepts all down the court, Caitie is one of the nicest, hardest defenders you’ll come across.
Georgia Hutchinson – Captain C:
The absolute backbone of the team. Her skill, speed, power, and decision-making under pressure is unstoppable. G’s ability is unmatched and a forced to be reckoned with.
Jess Le Page – vice captain GK/GD:
Some might call her Jess, some might call her an absolute work horse. Her intensity and work rate is through the roof. The body-on-body work she does in the ring makes any goaler shudder.
Chloe McCullouch WD/WA:
Continuous hustle is what comes to mind. First season in A Grade and her team’s in the GF, coincidence? We think not. Switching from the defensive to offensive end is no easy feat, but Chlo does it all with a smile on her face.
Halie McColl – assistant coach WA/C:
Steady, level head, reliable, experienced, smart … the list goes on for days. Halie has handled the GF pressure before, and she’ll do it again. You need someone like H in your side to steady and calm your team in those high-pressure situations
Elly Stewart GS:
Holding, moving – she can do it all. With a calming presence in the ring, no pressure is too much. Elly is controlled, smart and accurate, leaving any defender questioning their game plan. Every team needs an Elly.
Jaime Chila WD:
The opposition will be too scared to use their angles on the ring with arms and hands like Jaimes. She is as aerial as they come and causes the feeders grief when trying to see their goalers. Carrying the ball patiently out of the defensive third and transitioning to attack is a big strength.
Lisa Yates WA/C:
Blink and you’ll miss her. The speed on Lisa allows her to leave the opposition in her dust. She dominates centre pass receives and hits the circle edge like no other. With smart, quick feeds, finding space in the goal ring the goalers didn’t even know they had.
Gabrielle Maynard GK/GD:
The other smiling assassin. Again, don’t be fooled. Gabba deceives the space by playing on and off the body and reads the circle feeds like no other. Her ability to move her feet to get from one side of the body to the other for a low ground ball is phenomenal to watch.
Skye McDonald – coach GA:
The heart, the soul, the leader of the team. Skye’s presence, passion, and leadership on and off the court is a force to be reckoned with. Her work rate and defensive pressure is one thing, but her movement in the ring and shooting accuracy from a distance will leave any defender fearful. Skye has led to her team through an undefeated season with her knowledge and skill and with her team behind her, she’ll move heaven and earth to come away with the win this weekend.
Yinnar’s road to the Grand Final
Rd 1: Yinnar 54 d Newborough 38
Rd 2: Bye
Rd 3: Yinnar 53 d MDU 29
Rd 4: Yinnar 54 d Foster 20
Rd 5: Yinnar 59 d Tarwin 42
Rd 6: Yinnar 56 d Boolarra 40
Rd 7: Bye
Rd 8: Yinnar 55 d Fish Creek 33
Rd 9: Yinnar 63 d Mirboo North 34
Rd 10: Yinnar 85 d Hill End 31
Rd 11: Yinnar 62 d Morwell East 43
Rd 12: Yinnar 42 d Toora 40
Rd 13: Yinnar 75 d Stony Creek 21
Rd 14: Yinnar 71 d Newborough 38
Rd 15: Bye
Rd 16: Yinnar 79 d Stony Creek 30
Rd 17: Yinnar 116 d Foster 15
Rd 18: Yinnar 45 d Fish Creek 30
SF: Yinnar 60 d Toora 53
