NETBALL
By ERIKA ALLEN
MARGINS blew out in Gippsland League’s opening week of A grade netball finals.
While minor premier and reigning champion Moe sat out, Warragul made light work of Morwell in Saturday’s qualifying final at Maffra. The Gulls dominated early with a 15 to seven first term and ran out 58-42 winners, despite Morwell matching them goal-for-goal in the last quarter.
League leading goal shooter Emma Ryde was unstoppable, scoring 55 of Warragul’s 58 goals. For Morwell, Holly Stephens (26 goals) and Claire Marks (16) impressed, but the Gulls controlled the contest from defence to attack. Warragul’s victory sets up a grand final qualifier against Moe this Saturday at Morwell.
Morwell’s second chance comes on Sunday at Ted Summerton Reserve, Moe, where the Tigers face Drouin. The Hawks kept their season alive with a 59-37 elimination final win over Bairnsdale at Wonthaggi.
Drouin out-scored the Redlegs by five or six goals in every term. Goal defender Lucy McKellar led the way, with centre Ava Gaul and goal shooter Charlize Traumanis also starring. Traumanis piled on 54 goals, while Bairnsdale’s best were centre Paris Dunkley, goal keeper Alison Dwyer, and goal attack Anna Mooney (26 goals).
B Grade margins were closer, as Leongatha edged out Moe 55-53 in a tight qualifying final. The Parrots now face minor premier Wonthaggi on Saturday, while Moe meets Traralgon on Sunday after the Maroons eliminated Warragul 51-48.
In C grade, Wonthaggi defeated Leongatha 31-24 in the qualifying final, and Drouin scraped past Moe 36-35. This weekend, the Power challenges minor premier Morwell, while the Parrots battle the Hawks.
Bairnsdale forced Sale’s 17 and under side into Sunday’s elimination final with a 50-32 win. The Magpies now face Leongatha, which knocked out Drouin 35-34. The Redlegs advance to play minor premier Traralgon on Saturday.
Sale’s 15 and under team booked a grand final qualifying clash against minor premiers Traralgon after a seven-goal win over Moe. Warragul stayed alive, eliminating Leongatha 47-28 on Sunday.
Sale’s 13 and under side also advanced, defeating Moe 23-19 in Saturday’s qualifying final. The Magpies meet minor premier Leongatha this Saturday. Meanwhile, Traralgon ended Maffra’s run with a 31-14 win and will play Moe on Sunday.
North Gippsland
SALE City and Heyfield will clash this Saturday in the North Gippsland A grade preliminary final – a rematch of last year’s grand final which saw the Bulldogs triumph in one of their five netball premierships that day.
At the Woodside Recreation Reserve on Saturday, Sale City fell to Churchill 32-29 in the second semi-final.
Playing their first match in two weeks, the Cougars shook off the rust and led at every change. Skye McDonald dominated with 24 goals, while Samantha Cullis added eight.
In the closing minutes, Charlotte Ronchi (19 goals) and Madeleine Rodwell (10) pulled the Bulldogs within one goal, but Cullis and McDonald steadied, scoring three unanswered before Rodwell netted the final goal of the game.
Sale City’s slip in its premiership defence now sets up the test against Heyfield, which comfortably defeated Gormandale 48-34 on Sunday at the Rosedale Recreation Reserve.
The Roogirls controlled the match from the outset, with Phoebe Richardson unstoppable in attack, finishing with 37 goals, including three of the last five. Gormandale narrowed the gap to six at three-quarter time, but Richardson and Chloe Jones took charge in the final term to stretch the margin to 14.
Defenders Megan Kelly and Samantha Beha stood tall, limiting A grade’s leading goal scorer Maddy Dark to 24.
Sale City’s B grade side stormed into the grand final with a commanding 60-39 win over Woodside. The Wildcats will get another chance to qualify this weekend when they meet Heyfield, which ended Rosedale’s campaign by a single goal, 38-37, in Sunday’s first semi-final.
Traralgon-Tyers United became the first C grade team to secure a grand final berth, defeating Woodside 42-29 on Saturday at the Wildcats’ home court. Woodside now faces Sale City in this weekend’s preliminary final after the Bulldogs edged out Rosedale 23-18 on Sunday.
Another Sale City outfit chasing back-to-back flags is the D grade side, which booked its grand final place in two weeks’ time.
The Bulldogs will meet either TTU or Churchill. The Cougars eliminated Gormandale 33-28 on Sunday, while TTU fell just short against the reigning premiers on Saturday.
In the 17 and under second semi-final, TTU stunned minor premier and defending champion Sale City with a four-goal upset. The Bombers now await the grand final, while the Bulldogs will fight for redemption in Saturday’s preliminary final against Rosedale, which knocked Heyfield out 41-33 in Sunday’s elimination semi-final.
The 15 and under semi-finals delivered nail-biting finishes. Sale City scraped into the grand final with a one-goal victory over Rosedale. The Blues remain alive, however, and will face Woodside this weekend after the Wildcats edged past TTU 44-42 on Sunday.
Mid Gippsland
THERE are no Latrobe Valley clubs left in Mid Gippsland A Grade.
Yinnar lost its elimination final to Meeniyan Dumbalk United by just one goal on Sunday, 40-39 at Thorpdale.
The Demons will play Fish Creek for a spot in the decider this Saturday.
The Kangaroos already have A Grade netball in senior football in the big dance.
