NETBALL
GIPPSLAND LEAGUE
By ERIKA ALLEN
TWO Traralgon Football-Netball Club netball teams won 40 games across the 2026 season and finals series.
The club’s 13-and-under and 17-and-under sides entered Saturday’s Gippsland League grand finals as heavy favourites, having remained unbeaten throughout the season. Both delivered when it mattered, ending dominant campaigns with premierships.
The 13-and-under Maroons defeated Maffra 34-20 to claim the first GL flag on offer, starting Traralgon FNC’s campaign on a high as the first of four netball teams to take to the court.
Maffra improved since its second semi-final meeting against Traralgon, but the Maroons answered every challenge the Eagles threw at them on Saturday.
Tessa Jennings, who took home two medals, including the best-on-court award, along with her premiership medallion, was a key figure in Traralgon’s midcourt. The 12-year-old proved a versatile asset for the Maroons, contributing in both defensive and attacking roles.
Jennings started at wing defence, while goal defence Portia Weaver was tasked with matching up against Maffra’s composed goal attack, Ruby Delaney.
After converting the first goal of the match from their centre pass, the Maroons immediately applied pressure to Maffra’s centre pass and forced a turnover.
Maffra’s defensive pairing of Myah Henry and Jemma Burley was tested early but responded with turnovers of their own. However, the Maroons continued to stifle the Eagles’ attacking momentum, with Maffra progressing only as far as the centre third before Traralgon forced another turnover.
Yet to score as Traralgon moved to a four-goal lead, Maffra’s Tabbatha Coggan produced a lunging intercept as the goal attack pressed deep into the centre third. Oceanna Greaves then fed the ball into the shooting circle, allowing Coggan to finish the passage and open Maffra’s account.
The Eagles continued to press and led by one goal at quarter-time.
The Maroons then shut down Maffra’s attack in the second term, while Lillian Zanella and Abbie Hazelmann combined for eight goals to take Traralgon’s tally to 14 and establish a seven-goal halftime lead.
Maffra responded with eight goals in the third term, but Traralgon kept building an advantage and, by three-quarter time, had extended the margin to 10 goals.
The Maroons pulled further away in the final term to win by 14 goals, with Hazelmann finishing as the leading scorer with 19 goals. Zanella provided strong support in the shooting circle with 15 goals, while Isla Dorning led Maffra’s scoring with 11 and Coggan finished with nine.
THE 15-and-under Maroons, despite entering the grand final as favourites, fell at the final hurdle as Leongatha staged an upset win, 33-22, to claim the day’s second netball premiership.
The Parrots finished the regular season with one blemish, having previously lost to the Maroons in Round 4 by just three goals. The unbeaten Maroons again defeated them by seven goals in the second semi-final, but the Parrots brought their ‘A game’ on Saturday, breaking the game open in the third term with a 9-3 quarter.
After leading by four goals at quarter-time, the Parrots lost some momentum in the second term as Traralgon surged, cutting the margin to one goal by halftime. But shooters Anika Edwards and Jemma Rump helped restore Leongatha’s advantage in the third term, extending the lead to seven goals at three-quarter-time off the back of strong defensive work from Mikayla Richards and Ashlee Spark, who was named best on court by the match umpires.
Leongatha sealed victory with an 11-7 final term to claim the club’s sole flag of the day.
TRARALGON’S 17-and-under side followed on from the success of the club’s youngest side, also completing an undefeated season in style by defeating Bairnsdale 38-32 in Saturday’s grand final.
The Maroons finished the home-and-away season as minor premiers and carried that form into the finals, remaining unbeaten throughout their campaign. Bairnsdale entered the decider hoping to defend last year’s premiership, but Traralgon had other plans.
The sides were evenly matched for three quarters before the Maroons found an extra gear in the final term, with Beth Wallace finishing with a match-high 26 goals and vice-captain Ruby Bridger lifting her tally to 12 by the final whistle.
The duo’s consistent quality was evident this year, with both finishing the regular season among the division’s top five goal shooters. Their accuracy and composure were assets in the grand final, as the Maroons took an early lead.
Traralgon led by a goal at quarter-time, 9-8, before Bairnsdale hit back to level the scores at 18 goals apiece at halftime.
Bairnsdale’s shooters Roxie Jackson and captain Olivia Pearson both finished with 16 goals, combining for 10 in the second term to bring their side back into the contest. Wing attack Maizy Duck and centre Emme Hadden were instrumental in moving the ball through the midcourt, using their speed to feed the shooting circle as the Redlegs continued building momentum.
The sides remained tied at 27 goals apiece at three-quarter-time.
Bairnsdale started the final term strongly, but Traralgon stayed within reach, with Wallace anchoring the attack under the ring and taking passes from Bridger.
The Maroons’ defensive pressure then began to force turnovers, allowing them to regain the lead and momentum. Goalkeeper Jayme Davis was a standout, winning possession under the ring to disrupt Bairnsdale’s attacking flow.
Amily Smith and captain Ella Bigham were key to shifting the ball from defence into attack for the Maroons, mixing up their feeds into the shooting circle with bounce passes and accurate overheads. When Bairnsdale attempted similar tactics in the final term, Traralgon’s defensive pressure forced turnovers that Bridger and Wallace quickly converted.
The Maroons dominated the final quarter, outscoring the Redlegs 11 goals to five to secure a six-goal victory and complete their unbeaten season.
Smith was named best on court by the match umpires, while Davis was recognised for her defensive effort against Bairnsdale goal shooter Ava Langley, who finished with 16 goals. Bridger was also named among Traralgon’s top three contributors.
