NETBALL

By ERIKA ALLEN AND LIAM DURKIN

 

 

MAFFRA’S tough Round 16 loss to Traralgon has firmly ruled the Eagles out of Gippsland League finals contention in season 2026.

The Eagles turned the tables on the Maroons in the second term, with Rachel Weatherley and Tilly Fox combining for a 16-goal to seven-goal period to put the home team a goal ahead at halftime.

Traralgon centre Indiana de Dios however, along with goalkeeper Bronwyn Tebb and shooter Hannah Smith, helped the visitors punish the Eagles in the third and fourth terms as the visitors surged to a 16-goal victory.

Maffra defender Jayde Parsons was hard to go past as the club’s best player on Saturday, continuing her consistent form throughout the season. Zali Wheatley again put her name among the best with a commanding performance against Traralgon shooter Lara Noblett, while Elle Weatherley, the third member of a top-notch defensive group, also impressed.

Traralgon has now moved two points clear of the Eagles on the ladder, pushing Maffra into seventh, clearly ahead of Sale.

The Maroons could still sneak into finals if they win their next two games against Morwell and then Wonthaggi, the team they will be hunting down for fifth spot, in Round 18.

The Power defeated the Magpies by 10 goals on Saturday, with Chelsea Bowman netting 33 goals in a best-on-court performance in South Gippsland.

The match evened out through the middle stages, but Wonthaggi bookended it with a 14-8 first term and 14-11 fourth term to create some distance.

Eva Lindsay was strong in goal defence, while wing attack Ellie Bates impressed through the midcourt. Both joined Bowman as the home side’s top players. Sale wing attack Tash Beddgood, goalkeeper Ashleigh Keefe and centre Olivia Stothers were the visitors’ best.

Moe maintained its lead at the top of the ladder with a convincing 79-35 victory over Bairnsdale in East Gippsland.

Jordan Pyle was the top-rated Lion for her role in goal defence against Bairnsdale’s Chloe Felsbourg. Sally Deller was Bairnsdale’s best, holding down defence in the goal third against Moe shooter Ashlea Mawer.

The Redlegs have been a consistent third-best side this season, but with Moe and Drouin now holding a 12-point or greater lead over Bairnsdale, fourth-ranked Leongatha is closing in just two points behind.

The Parrots defeated Warragul by 46 goals, recording the biggest winning margin of Round 16. Centre Taylah Brown was the best player for the home side.

Mikaeli Hilliar, Gemma Thomas and Amy Scott, who added 44 goals to the overall tally, were too hard to stop under the ring, with the Parrots posting two quarters of more than 20 goals.

Warragul goal attack Amelia Henry and goalkeeper Olivia Barr were the Gulls’ best players.

Drouin also won big against Morwell, 75-52.

Ella Henderson, centre Stacie Gardiner and Lainey Downie were the visiting Hawks’ top players. Mwai Kumwenda returned to the circle from the Commonwealth Games and scored 46 goals, while Charlize Traumanis added 29.

Morwell goal shooter Isabella Bettridge scored a strong bag of her own with 41 goals, taking out top honours among her teammates. Centre Chloe Radford and Courtney Garth were the other Tigers to impress.

There are now just two rounds left in the regular season, with Round 17 carrying plenty of weight for Leongatha as it chases Bairnsdale and Wonthaggi as it tries to hold on in the top five.

The Parrots and the Power will meet in Leongatha on Saturday, while Maffra hosts Drouin and Warragul hosts Moe. Traralgon has an important clash against Morwell as it looks to stay in touch with Wonthaggi, while Bairnsdale will be looking to maintain its gap over Leongatha with a win against Sale.

MID GIPPSLAND netballreturned no great surprises in Round 17.

Toora and Tarwin played the closest match, with the Sharks winning by five goals, 40-35 at home.

Yinnar was too strong for Hill End in a 73-34 result up at Willow Grove.

Patty McInnes raised the bat for her half-century, shooting 53 goals.

The Magpies played it smart on the eve of finals. Veteran centre Hallie McColl played managed minutes, sitting out a half.

Meeniyan Dumbalk United thumped Boolarra 82-18 in the battle of the demons.

MDU rotated its squad on the Boolarra court.

Mirboo North got it done for a club favourite, winning 78-43 at Stony Creek in Emily Taylor’s 250th game.

The goal defence was joined by Mirboo North netballers and footballers wearing commemorative t-shirts before the game to help celebrate.

Newborough, Fish Creek, Foster and Morwell East all had the bye.

The Hawks will play their last game in Mid Gippsland this Saturday, before joining North Gippsland in 2027.

The top three is set. Foster will finish on top on 68 points, followed by Yinnar (60) and Fish Creek (56).

There could yet be some changes to who plays who in the first week of finals, with MDU fourth on 54 points, Mirboo North on 52 and Tarwin on 44.

Those teams are all guaranteed to play finals.

 

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NETBALL


NORTH GIPPSLAND


By ERIKA ALLEN

 

THE top five teams might be locked in, but the storylines are far from settled in North Gippsland netball.

Will Rosedale play the villain in Traralgon-Tyers United’s quest for the minor premiership? Can Sale City finally rise above Woodside, with the two sides’ fortunes so intertwined in recent rounds and only the narrowest margin separating them on the ladder?

Can Churchill take another step towards repeating last year’s triumph by claiming both the minor premiership and the flag? And can Gormandale hold on to third with Woodside and Sale City hot on its heels?

With Round 17 out of the way, teams have one last chance to impact the finals in Round 18 this weekend.

One team that has put itself in the best possible position is Woodside. The Wildcats surged above Sale City on the ladder, moving from fifth to fourth after defeating Rosedale on Saturday by 18 goals, 46 to 28.

The Blues held on until the second half, when the Wildcats held their opponents to just six goals across the third and fourth terms. Woodside defender Holly Kilgower was crucial to the home team’s surge as teammate Kimberly Wright capitalised under the goal post.

Wright added 41 goals to her tally this season, taking her total to 460 – the second-most of any player this season. Jordy Rogers was Rosedale’s top shooter with 23.

The Wildcats’ greater winning margin gave them an edge over Sale City heading into the final round, although their percentage won’t get much higher as they observe a bye this Saturday.

Heyfield tested Sale City’s resolve at Gordon Street Reserve, but the Bulldogs held on to win 46-42.

Trailing by as many as five goals at halftime, the Roogirls closed the gap to four goals by the final term. The Bulldogs held on despite Heyfield’s surge in the final five minutes, with Abbie Ross and Chloe Jones shooting six of the last nine goals.

Charlotte Ronchi netted 26 goals for Sale City, the same number as Ross, while Madeleine Rodwell shot 20. Jones tallied the rest of Heyfield’s goals with 16.

While Woodside rests in Round 18, it is guaranteed four points via forfeit of Yarram’s absent A Grade team this season. Sale City, meanwhile, will finish its regular season against Cowwarr.

It is a promising match-up from the Bulldogs’ perspective, with the side needing a high percentage to separate itself from Woodside. The more goals Ronchi and Rodwell can get, the higher their percentage.

Meanwhile, Gormandale is not safe in third position either, with Woodside and Sale City both in with a chance to push above the Tigers, who will sit out Round 18 with a regular bye.

The Tigers recorded one of the biggest victories by margin in Round 17, defeating Yallourn Yallourn North by 35 goals, 64-29. Maddy Dark top-scored with 41 goals, while Zekiya Glibanovic put in another strong showing for YYN with 19 goals.

Currently on 48 points and with a marginally lower percentage than the Wildcats, who are on 44, but a higher percentage than the Bulldogs, also on 44, the Tigers could fall as low as fifth after Saturday.

While the Blues are firmly out of finals contention, the sixth-placed team can still make an impact as the league enters the final round this weekend. The Blues’ opponent on Saturday, TTU, has a hand on the minor premiership. If the Bombers win this weekend and maintain their four-point lead over Churchill on the ladder, it is theirs.

The Bombers observed a regular bye at the weekend alongside Glengarry, which picked up four points from Yarram’s forfeit.

The Magpies’ opponent following a restful weekend is Churchill. The Cougars are coming off a confidence and percentage-boosting victory over Cowwarr in Round 17.

Skye McDonald and Gemma Whykes combined under the ring, with Tayla Kelty-Roberts switching between wing and goal attack to add more goals to their large tally. Kayla Woodall again led the scoring for Cowwarr with 12.