NETBALL
By LIAM DURKIN
ONLY one finals spot remains open in Gippsland League netball.
Fifth-placed Wonthaggi holds a one-game lead on Maffra with three rounds to play.
Should the Eagles make finals, it will cap off a remarkable turnaround. Maffra has finished on the bottom of the ladder every year for the last three seasons.
The Power however won what will probably end up being an eight-point game at the weekend, defeating Maffra 47 to 34 in Round 15.
The home side broke away after an even first half, scoring 13 goals to six in the third term.
Chloe Marshall, Mackenzie Oracz and Eva Lindsay led the way for the winners.
Sienna Wynd, Jayde Parsons and Zali Wheatley played well in defeat.
Traralgon returned to the winners list after a surprise loss to Sale.
The Maroons inflicted further pain on Warragul, winning 63-54 at Western Park.
Traralgon burst out of the blocks with an insane 19-goal opening, before the game settled down.
The fast start enabled the visitors to hold sway on the scoreboard until the final whistle.
Emma White and Lara Noblett each scored 30 goals in the win. They were supported by Kasey Guttridge, Sianna Wilkinson and Indiano de Dios.
Amelia Henry, Olivia Barr and Sienna Green were best for the Guls.
After only failing to win last season’s premiership by a handful of goals, Warragul has well and truly felt the full brunt of losing virtually its entire team. The Gulls are winless, and a final-round match-up against ninth-placed Morwell is looking like its only chance of securing points in 2026.
Morwell has been similarly decimated this season, mainly due to injury and pregnancy, forcing them to more or less park this season.
The Tigers got through its game against reigning premier Moe at the weekend, going down 70-33.
Ramayer Keilty has made a successful return for the Lions postpartum, and was best-on-court, followed by Jordan Pyle, who is having an outstanding season, and technical veteran Charlize Bird.
Courtney Garth is also back on the court for Morwell after becoming a mother, and was among her sides better players. Skipper Chloe Radford and Edie van der Velden battled hard.
Moe has been forced to reshuffle its side at times this season, as a result of players being on higher commitments. The Lions have just about got its full-strength team back, excluding Macy Gardiner and Olivia Barnett, both on the long-term injury list.
The vacancies have created opportunity however, and defender Meg Morris has been rewarded for her dedication, elevated to the A Grade squad.
In other results, Drouin and Bairnsdale played out a thrilling draw at Drouin.
Scores were tied 38-apiece after the Redlegs went 12-5 in the final quarter to very nearly pinch it.
The result sets up a tantalising qualifying final, given the two sides are likely to meet in that match in four weeks’ time.
Drouin was again without gun shooter Mwai Kumwenda, who was in Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games representing Malawi.
With the Games now concluded, the Hawks will very much welcome her back under the post.
NETBALL is certainly different to football in North Gippsland.
The top four after Round 16 reads: TTU first, Churchill, Gormandale and Sale City.
In a great round at the weekend, two matches were decided by two goals, and another by only seven.
The Bombers won a top-five clash against Woodside 46-35.
Danni Dunn led the scoring for the home side, putting up 37 goals.
Sale City however won the equal-closest match of the round, edging Gormandale out by a goal at Stephenson Park.
Scores were virtually neck-and-neck the whole game. The Bulldogs led by two at the half, and the Tigers by the same amount at three quarter time.
Charlotte Ronchi was dominant with 30 goals for the winners, while Maddi Dark scored 27 for the Tigers.
Billing for closest game of the round was shared between Churchill and Heyfield.
The Cougars survived a scare, winning 42-40 at Gaskin Park.
Churchill looked untroubled early, getting out to a 17-9 lead, before the Kangaroos hopped into action.
The visitors got the margin back to eight goals at three quarter time, and finished with 12 goals to four to almost claim the upset.
Churchill did however only use star shooter Cassandra Wass for one quarter.
Rosedale and Glengarry enjoyed a competitive game.
The Blues won 49-42 at Rosedale.
A strong final term from the home side, during which it scored 14 goals to nine, ensured the win.
Jordy Rogers had a big say in the result, netting 34 majors.
Yallourn Yallourn North and Cowwarr had the bye.
MID GIPPSLAND which is hardly Mid Gippsland anymore following the departure of Morwell East, returned no great surprises.
The Hawks were well beaten by a Yinnar team on the charge, 53-37.
Morwell East provided an early fright, leading 13-10 at quarter time.
Patty McInnes however quickly changed that, leading the scoring for the home side with 42 goals.
The Magpies also rested a few players on managed minutes in preparation for finals.
Halie McColl played three quarters, as did Patricia Chapman and Jaime Chila.
Yinnar is a game clear in second from Fish Creek, and will need to stay there to get the double chance.
Foster is on top, and still unbeaten after rolling Toora 65-35.
Much of the Toora side that won the 2022 premiership now plays for the Tigers. Adding further irony, the Toora team that defeated Mirboo
North that season was coached by current Foster coach Ebony Best.
Mirboo North was too strong for Hill End, winning 77-39 at home.
Belinda Snell has certainly still got it – and scored 50 goals for the Tigers.
Fish Creek did a similar number of Stony Creek, 56-33 on the Stony asphalt.
Newborough, Boolarra and Tarwin all had the bye.
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NETBALL
By ERIKA ALLEN
FORMER North Gippsland club Stratford is one of the hunted in East Gippsland netball.
The Swans and top two on the ladder, narrowly trailing Lucknow. Boisdale-Briagolong, Lindenow and Wy Yung are the hunters as East Gippsland netball enters the final two rounds of the home-and-away season.The Magpies, narrowly ahead of the Swans on percentage, kept their noses in front after convincingly defeating Lindenow 44-19 on Saturday.
The Cats stayed within striking distance after half-time, with the Magpies leading by six goals. However, Alice Shaw, Anna-Lisa Short and Hayley Escudero helped the Magpies power away in the second half, restricting Lindenow to just six more goals for the remainder of the match.
Renee Barry, Brooke Perrett and Alana Websdale were Lindenow’s top contributors.
Stratford broke its clash against Lakes Entrance open in the third term, shaking off the defiant Seagulls to win by 15 goals, 57-42.
Sarah Bishop led the way through the midcourt, earning honours as Stratford’s best player. Maggie Tatterson again featured among the club’s best in her first season back with the Swans.
Tommi Carroll was Lakes Entrance’s standout, with Tayla Mills and Chloe Watson also among the Seagulls’ best.
Fifth-ranked Wy Yung defeated Orbost-Snowy Rovers by 33 goals to keep its finals hopes alive. Sophie Bills led the way, with Jazmin Parker and Sienna Anderson rounding out the Tigers’ best players.
Boisdale-Briagolong accounted for Paynesville, 54-19.
Emmerson Connonley has shown she is back to her best since returning to the side, while midcourter Taryn Cunningham and defender Hannah Pratt rounded out a strong list of contributors.
Lucy Weston, Teneill Walker and Paige Strickland were the Gulls’ best players.
The Tigers sit two points outside the top four, with Lindenow their immediate rival to overcome. There is some breathing room between the Bombers and the Cats, with Boisdale-Briagolong holding a six-point advantage. But anything can happen.
The race for fourth, set to be fiercely contested between Lindenow and Wy Yung, could be shaped this Saturday when the Tigers take on Boisdale-Briagolong.
The Bombers cannot afford to rest on their laurels, facing arguably the toughest finish to the season with matches against a Wy Yung side chasing the top four and Stratford, which is still in the hunt for the minor premiership.
The Tigers and Cats are presented favourable opportunities to bank points in round 18. Wy Yung faces Lakes Entrance in the final round, while Lindenow takes on Paynesville.
Lucknow has a more comfortable run home than Stratford, with the Swans set to face the Bombers in round 18. The match-up has produced plenty of drama this season, with both the round one and round nine encounters ending in draws. Who will win the tiebreaker?
The Magpies have Paynesville and Orbost-Snowy Rovers to finish the season, two teams they have comfortably accounted for throughout the year.
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Sale City is holding off Woodside as finals fever approaches in North Gippsland netball.
The Bulldogs edged past third-ranked Gormandale by just a goal in their round 16 clash. Two consecutive goals from Sale City goal attack Charlotte Ronchi’s steady hands created the buffer the Bulldogs needed in the final two minutes.
A late goal by Grace Van Tilburg, her 10th of the match, cut the margin to one, but the final siren sounded moments later and Sale City secured its eighth victory of the season.
Ronchi’s consistent four-quarter performance yielded 30 goals, the highest individual tally on court, followed closely by Gormandale sharpshooter Maddy Dark. Both players rank among the league’s top eight goal scorers this season, with Dark leading the way.
The North Gippsland ladder has been the most dynamic of any league this season, although Traralgon-Tyers United has now established itself ahead of Churchill and Gormandale, with all three clubs dominant for much of the year. They will all contest finals, but with two rounds left to play, exactly where they will place at the end of the season is still to be determined.
Sale City and Woodside, which round out the top five, have experienced more fluctuating campaigns. The Wildcats led the ladder early before slipping to fifth. Meanwhile, Sale City has hovered around the edge of the top five and is now building momentum late in the season, although the fourth-ranked Bulldogs are yet to challenge the Cougars or the Bombers. It is an opportunity they will get having already qualified for finals backed up by favourable matches against Heyfield this Saturday and Cowwarr in round 18.
The Roogirls are coming off an eighth defeat after falling to defending premier Churchill by two goals, 42-40.
Gaskin Park was the stage for the near-upset as Abbie Ross and Chloe Jones sparked a dramatic finish, scoring the final three goals of the match.
Momentum had been with the Cougars as experienced duo Cassandra Wass and Skye McDonald combined for four unanswered goals to build a five-goal buffer late in the final term, putting Churchill back on track after leading by eight goals at three-quarter-time.
But Heyfield stormed home, only to fall just short of what could have been the comeback victory of the season.
Jones finished with a game-high 22 goals, followed by Churchill goal shooter Gemma Whykes.
Tight contests defined the remainder of round 16, with Rosedale defeating Glengarry by seven goals, 49-42.
Jordy Rogers added 34 goals to her season tally of 377, placing her fifth on the league’s leading goal scorers list.
Woodside came within touching distance of TTU. However, the Bombers finished the stronger side, claiming their 13th victory by 11 goals on their home court.
The match was there for either team to win after half-time, with scores locked at 19-all. But as the match progressed, the Bombers piled on scoreboard pressure through Dani Dunn, who finished with 37 goals.
Kimberley Wright led Woodside with 23 goals, followed by Tavia Field with 12.
Despite the loss, the Wildcats remain safely inside the top five, sitting 12 points clear of sixth-placed Rosedale. They can still improve their ladder position, with only a fraction separating them and Sale City on percentage.
The ladder sees TTU with a 13-1 record leading Churchill (11-2), Gormandale (9-4), Sale City (8-4), and Woodside (9-4) rounding out the top five. No team is guaranteed to finish where it currently sits on the ladder, with the final two rounds making for an interesting last push for the minor premiership and top three results, with teams’ goal percentage perhaps coming into play to define the top five.
TTU has four more points up for grabs in round 18 against Rosedale, while Churchill can maximise its final round matches to bring in another eight, potentially drawing level on points with TTU if it fails to secure the points this weekend. Gormandale can also grab another four points in round 17 this Saturday against Yallourn-Yallourn North before resting with a bye to finish the season.
Sale City and Woodside each have eight points up for grabs from the next two rounds, with the pressure coming for Woodside against Rosedale in round 17 before its guaranteed four points in round 18 from a bye in the absence of an A grade Yarram team.
Glengarry also has the bye on Saturday.
The ladder has TTU (13-1) leading Churchill (11-2), Gormandale (9-4), Sale City (8-4) and Woodside (9-4), with no side guaranteed to finish in its current position. The final two rounds promise an intriguing race for the minor premiership and top-three placings, with percentage likely to play a decisive role in shaping the top five.
TTU, with a bye on Saturday, has four points still on offer in round 18 against Rosedale, while Churchill can collect another eight points from its remaining two matches and potentially draw level with the Bombers should TTU fail to secure the points this weekend.
Gormandale can also add another four points when it takes on Yallourn-Yallourn North this Saturday before finishing the season with a bye.
Sale City and Woodside each have eight points available across the final two rounds. Woodside faces a crucial clash with Rosedale in round 17 before receiving four points from a round 18 bye due to the absence of an A grade Yarram side.
Glengarry also has the bye this Saturday.
Run to the finals
TTU (56 points, 149.18 per cent): bye,
Rosedale (a).
Churchill (48, 144.78): Cowwarr (a),
Glengarry (h).
Gormandale (44, 115.95): YYN (h), bye.
Sale City (40, 118.92): Heyfield (a), Cowwarr (h).
Woodside (40, 118.57): Rosedale (h), bye (guaranteed four points).
