ZAIDA GLIBANOVIC
NETBALL
By ZAIDA GLIABNOVIC
ANZAC Round proved to be an entertaining one across Gippsland.
Players took to the courts, with a number teams returning strong results.
IN the Gippsland League, Morwell continues to dominate A Grade.
The Round 3 match played under lights saw the Tigers easily defeated Valley rivals, Traralgon 53-24.
Bronwyn Tebb, Montanna Styles and Sophie Lecchino were among the best for Traralgon.
Morwell coach Tanya Budge celebrated her 50th A Grade game, on the same day her husband played his 200th senior football game for Yallourn Yallourn North.
Moe was too strong for Wonthaggi Power, coming home with a convincing win. The Lions scored 65 to the Power’s 30.
Among Moe’s best were Olivia Barnett, Charlize Bird and Georgia Moody, while Power’s key performances came from Chelsea Bowman, Jess Blair, and Mia Plenkovich.
Leongatha also enjoyed victory, with an 11-point win over Warragul, 39-27.
Parrot’s stars Hannah Flanders, Laura Higgins and Lauren Redpath were some of the key players in the win, with Ella Rees and Renee Cook among Warragul’s best.
Bairnsdale was no match for Drouin, losing 61-35.
Bairnsdale’s best were Sally Deller, Olivia Betts and Charli Young, while Drouin’s Ella Henderson, Karina Proctor and Kelly Mills were recognised as influential in the win.
Sale enjoyed a nice win over Maffra 48-35.
Sale’s Dee Dee Lambert, Rachel Ronaldson and Teagan Harrison had a day out, while Maffra’s best were Sarah Edey, Chloe Felsbourg and Chelsea Allman.
NORTH GIPPSLAND had a great round of netball.
In Round 3, reigning premier Woodside asserted their strength.
The Wildcats had a day out, winning all six grades against Gormandale.
Woodside’s A Grade would have been especially happy, after defeating Gormandale by a whopping 60 points, the most significant margin of the year so far.
Sale City came home with a strong performance over Cowwarr; the Bulldogs winning 57-33.
The win solidifies Sale City as the top dog of the competition with 12 premiership points and a staggering percentage of 258.67.
Churchill is finding that winning form again, coming off a 10-point win after the hike to Heyfield, defeating the Roo’s 44-34.
Rosedale quickly cared for Yallourn Yallourn North, defeating the Jets on their home turf 65-29.
Yarram managed their first win of season 2023 in a nail-biting two-point game, the Dee’s winning 40 to TTU’s 38.
Glengarry had the bye.
MID GIPPSLAND netball action finally arrived.
In the Grand Final rematch, last year’s premiers Toora defeated Mirboo North 50 to 39, much more convincingly than they did in the 2022 decider which came down to a shot after the siren.
Morwell East, in their second hit out of the year (having played their Round 8 match last Saturday) proved their dominance, defeating an undermanned Hill End 70-21.
Yinnar and Newborough went head-to-head over at Yinnar Recreation Reserve, the Pies proving too strong for the young Bulldogs in a 54-38 win.
In other results, Tarwin beat MDU 39-37, while in the battle of the creeks, Fish Creek got the upper hand defeating Stony Creek 53-32.
Foster and Boolara had the bye.
ROUND 4 of the Gippsland League will see competitive A Grade netball.
Traralgon will drive over to Drouin to take on the Hawks in what might be a tight game as the Maroons strive to get another win on the board.
Morwell will host Warragul at Morwell Recreation Reserve, with an aim to continue their impressive winning streak.
It will take Warragul’s best effort and a miracle to get close to stopping the Tiger train.
Maffra welcomes Wonthaggi for a high-stakes match as one of these teams will finish the round finally getting their first win on the board.
Bairnsdale will have an incredibly tough job travelling to Ted Summerton Reserve, where they will take on a triumphant Moe side, coming off a 35-goal win over Wonthaggi.
Sale will have a long drive ahead of them to face off against second on the ladder Leongatha, who won’t show any mercy.
NORTH GIPPSLAND will have Yallourn Yallourn North take on a youthful Heyfield at George Bates Reserve.
Rosedale will travel to Tyers to take on the Bombers on their new courts after TTU’s court conundrum.
Gormandale will host Yarram in what will be a tough battle for the Tigers looking for their first win of the season, still bruised coming off a 60-point loss to dominate Woodside.
Cowwarr does battle against the formidable Woodside line-up and will do well to get close.
Churchill and Glengarry will go face-to-face this Saturday for a spot in the top four, while Sale City has the bye.
ROUND 2 of the Mid Gippsland will see Foster come to take on a victorious Tarwin.
After the Tiger’s huge loss in the opening game against Morwell East and then the bye, Foster will do well to get close.
A shorthanded Hill End will be forced to go up against reigning premier Toora.
The two Demon teams in MDU and Boolarra will go head-to-head in Boolarra’s first game of the season where they have a lot to prove.
While, Mirboo North will want to get back on the winning list and show their traditional Mid Gippsland dominance against Stony Creek.
Lastly, Fish Creek will take on a young Newborough side keen to earn their stripes.
The second round of Mid Gippy gives two premiership contenders Morwell East and Yinnar the week off to rest.
