NETBALL

By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

 

Gippsland League

ROUND 16 of Gippsland League netball finally saw some separation from the top five squads in the competition.

As all Gippsland League sides await a league bye this weekend, the final two rounds of the home-and-away season will determine where each will be situated come finals time.

Premiership favourite Moe won a predictably one-sided game against a struggling Maffra side, which turned into a real bloodbath.

The Lions defeated the Eagles to the tune of 53 goals in an 82-29 contest at Ted Summerton Reserve.

Moe devoured every opportunity Maffra thought they had at any given moment, and held the Eagles to under 10 goals in each of the four quarters while the Lions produced three quarters of north of 20 goals.

Ramayer Gourley dropped a monster 73 goals for the winners that more than doubled Maffra’s score.

The Lions (15 wins, one draw) hold a two-game edge over Drouin who sit second on the ladder, while the Eagles have two games to go to try and get at least one win on the board

Drouin defeated Traralgon, 51-42, bringing about their 13th win in 2024.

It was a strong start for the Maroons, who got out to an early 11-8 lead after the first quarter on their home deck, before Drouin provided one of their best responses for the season when they nailed 20 goals and kept Traralgon to just eight through the second term.

The Maroons weren’t done fighting as they chipped the margin back down to five goals by three quarter time, but the Hawks did what was necessary to conclude, converting on some timely shots to keep the hosts at bay.

Drouin’s April Bethune rose to the occasion as she was thrown into Goal Attack and scored 20 goals, to go along with sharpshooter Charlize Traumanis with 21.

Despite the loss, the Maroons still sit within the top five thanks to two draws throughout the season that leaves them still six premiership points clear of sixth-placed Bairnsdale despite only a one win advantage.

Leongatha continued to give themselves a fighting chance for a finals berth after defeating the Magpies in a convincing 65 to 49 contest.

The Parrots damage was done early after a 20 goal to nine first term that then turned into 12-goal lead by halftime at Sale Oval.

If the Magpies thought they could claw back into the game, they thought wrong, as Leongatha added three goals to their lead through the third term that made the result clear as day.

Mikaeli Hilliar was the defining player for Leongatha with 40 goals to go along with 22 from teammate Kate Browne.

Kate Van der Voort had 33 goals for Sale.

Bairnsdale made it tricky for Wonthaggi as both eyed a finals cementation.

The Power however proved slightly superior in their homeland, finishing 45-41 winners.

The Redlegs, hoping to bridge the gap between fifth-placed Trarlagon, had the spark in their eye that saw them lead 14-12 after quarter time.

It was an equally good second term for Wonthaggi, who tied the game up 26-all by the halftime break.

Scoring began to deteriorate at both ends but began to favour the style that the Power wanted to play with.

Holding Bairnsdale to just 15 goals in the second half despite only 19 goals from Wonthaggi still got the job done.

The Power’s Chelsea Bowman and Courtney Brann put on a show with 24 and 21 goals respectively to combat the efforts of Anna Mooney with 25.

Wonthaggi moved to clear fourth position with a win-loss record of 9-7, while the Redlegs will have to remain perfect through the last two rounds and pray for other results to go their way.

Warragul cemented themselves as a top three side ahead of finals after a dominant 66-45 win over Morwell.

The Tigers showed their teeth early on with a four-goal lead after the first quarter, but the Gulls responded to lead by a goal upon halftime.

The premiership third quarter would be on display as Warragul pump Morwell 21-7 through that respective passage of play that determined the result at Western Park.

Emma Ryde continued a phenomenal season with 60 goals for the Gulls, to add to her league-leading tally of 740.

Warragul sit a game behind Drouin for second-place and three games clear of fourth-placed Wonthaggi, while Morwell are now well and truly looking towards next season.

 

Mid Gippsland

TWO rounds remain in Mid Gippsland netball.

Yinnar put a sever dint in the premiership hopes of Morwell East after the Magpies defeated the Hawks convincingly, 49-25.

Both sides were tied on 11 wins heading into the matchup at Ronald Reserve, expecting a close affair.

Yinnar held a minor lead after quarter time, 10-6 before they kept Morwell East to just seven goals in the second to extend their lead to eight by halftime.

No separation was truly made in the third, before the Magpies unleashed hell, holding the Hawks to only four goals and tacked on their highest quarter score of 19 to conclude.

Skye McDonald and Claire Thorburn combined for all of Yinnar’s score with 28 and 21 goals respectively to give the Magpies second position and a two-game cushion on their weekend’s opponents.

Fish Creek defeated Boolarra at Terrill Park, 77-39 to bring about their 11th win from 13 tries.

Jessica Edgar poured in 41 goals for the Kangaroos, along with an equally impressive 36 from teammate Lara Stefani, while the Demons’ Tessa Jewell had 29.

Toora walloped Thorpdale by 56 goals as the Magpies eye a top six finish by season’s end.

Toora’s Hannah Weston finished with 50 goals to go along with the sizeable victory on the road.

The Magpies sit two games back of sixth but with winnable games ahead to keep their season alive.

Tarwin and Stony Creek ended in a dead heat, 37-all at Tarwin Lower.

The Lions had the game in their hands for most of the contest before the Sharks mounted a significant comeback to take the lead during the last quarter.

Stony Creek’s Brianna Weaver saved the day for the Lions, converting a last-second shot to finish in a draw.

Weaver totalled 16 goals while Tarwin’s Kate McCracken had a game-high 22.

Fish Creek hold a minor lead in first place due to a draw that gives them a two point edge over Yinnar and still awaiting a bye.

Four sides had the bye in Round 16 – Mirboo North, Foster, Newborough and MDU.

 

North Gippsland

FURTHER distance is being made between the best of the best in North Gippsland netball, as two rounds remain in the home-and-away season.

Round 16 featured top-seeded Sale City taking apart third-place Churchill 58-38 at Stephenson Park, that leaves many convinced the Bulldogs, having not lost a game this season, are on their way to premiership glory.

Heyfield defeated Gormandale 71-37 at the Gormandale, that gives the Roogirls their 11th win for the year and keeps them second on the ladder.

Rosedale kept themselves in the hunt for finals after beating Cowwarr 70-35 in Rosedale.

TTU obliterated Yarram 70-33 in South Gippsland to remain fifth on the ladder with eight wins and six losses.

Glengarry secured their sixth win for the season after defeating YYN 48-30 at home.

Woodside had the bye.