NETBALL

By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT AND ERIKA ALLEN

 

EITHER you rise above or you stoop below.

The local netball scene was at its best at the weekend, as North Gippsland played out its preliminary finals, while the Gippsland League had its second week of postseason action.

 

A YEAR doesn’t make much of a difference.

Minor premier Moe were stopped in their path by Warragul in the second semi final on Saturday, with the Gulls handing the Lions their first loss all season.

The scoreboard, in the end, read 62 to 58 at Morwell Recreation Reserve, sending Warragul straight into the grand final, courtesy of a week off.

This would be the second year in a row in which the Gulls upset Moe in a second semi, forcing the Lions to go the long way around in their effort to achieve a historic threepeat of premierships.

Nothing could separate either side throughout the opening quarter of play, despite Moe mounting an early lead, Warragul finished on a 5-1 run to see it all tied up 16-all at the first break.

As play resumed, it appeared as though the Gulls had now awoken and gained serious momentum.

After a few minutes going back-and-forth, Warragul’s Emma Ryde would pour in six unanswered goals through three minutes to create a five-goal cushion for the Gulls.

The Moe combo of Ashlea Mawer and Georgia Moody quickly replied to tie the game back up within a few minutes.

Despite having a noticeable edge, Warragul led by just two goals come halftime.

Once the main break past, the Gulls had to have known they needed to continue to do what was working for them and give the Lions no look in.

It was a frustrating third quarter for Moe, who weren’t taking too kindly to the umpiring decisions that weren’t going their way, only for Warragul to turn around and score routinely.

Ramayer Keilty was tasked in taking the Gulls’ 1000-plus goal scorer, and despite Keilty’s considerable height, had to practically rely on Ryde missing a point blank shot or receiving a poor pass from a Warragul teammate.

Despite some moments where it appeared Moe were gunning to make up ground, the Gulls led 47-43 by the last turn.

As the last quarter opened, the Lions continued to give themselves a fighting chance.

However, Ryde once again forced herself into the picture, extending the Gulls lead to its largest.

Ryde shot a ridiculous 59 of Warragul’s 62 total score

With two minutes remaining, and the margin at eight goals, Moe would have been already thinking to how they best them in a rematch in two weeks time.

They can’t think too far ahead as they now focus on a preliminary final against Morwell at Sale Oval.

Ella Rees, Sienna Green, and Jade Finn were best for Warragul, while the Lions had Moody (19 goals), Mawer (39), and Keilty play well.

 

IT’S tiger time now.

Morwell will return to the preliminary final stage for the first time in two years after defeating Drouin in the first semi final on Sunday, 46-35.

Played at Ted Summerton Reserve, the Tigers ran out of the gate hot with 7-1 start to the match.

The Hawks desperately tried to respond, but were kept to a limited score of four goals throughout the opening quarter.

That quickly reversed once play resumed for the second term, with Drouin packing on the scoreboard pressure.

Getting the margin back to one goal midway through the quarter, Morwell scrambled to answered back, but most likely looked forward to a reset at halftime, trailing 19-18.

In returning from the main break, Drouin maintained their lead, only for the Tigers to shoot back to their elite potential, mounting eight unanswered goals to storm ahead.

The Hawks ran out of gas by the time the fourth quarter arrived, with Morwell going right through to the end.

Tigers goal attack Claire Marks was recognised as player of the game, finishing with 14 goals, while Holly Stephens had 31.

Charlize Traumanis had 27 goals for Drouin, while Ella Henderson, April Bethune, and Lucy McKellar stood tall.

 

IN North Gippsland, the minor premier and reigning premier will battle for the 2025 flag as Churchill take on Sale City.

The Bulldogs earned their way back with a hard-fought win over Heyfield, 37-32 at Gordon Street Reserve.

Saturday’s clash was a rematch of last year’s grand final, and ended the same way, with Sale City on top.

The Bulldogs pulled away from the Roogirls in the second half, led by Charlotte Ronchi and Madeleine Rodwell, who combined for 11 third quarter goals, including seven unanswered.

Heyfield opened the quarter strongly though Phoebe Richardson and Chloe Jones, but entered the final term seven goals down.

Quick switched between Jones and Chloe Smith, along with Richardson’s five last term goals, kept the Roogirls in the fight, but Ronchi and Rodwell steadied to seal a five-goal victory.

Sale City centre Isla McCarthy starred a player of the day, working tirelessly to feed Chaille Hurst in wing attack and disrupt Heyfield’s momentum with key turnovers.

The Roogirls faced a seven-goal deficit in the final term but clawed back, with Jones cutting the margin to one midway through the quarter.

As Heyfield threatened, Sale City locked in.

Working the ball around the top of the post in search of an equaliser, Heyfield buckled under McCarthy’s intense pressure, which forced Jasmine Schellen to fumble the pass.

That missed opportunity sparked another three-goal unanswered run for Sale City, interrupted only by Richardson’s lone conversion at the 59-minute mark.

Ronchi and Rodwell then selaed the chapter for Heyfield with their 21st and 16th goals respectively.

The win means Sale City will again be represented in all NGFNL netball grand finals.

Last year, the Bulldogs claimed five of six premierships, including the A Grade title.