By David Nagel
Exciting Doveton teenager Hayley Stewart has capped off a remarkably consistent season by being named as the starting centre in the South East Football Netball League Team of the Year.
Stewart defied her tender years to play more games than any other player at her club – that had an otherwise turbulent season – playing 28 players in A Grade.
Stewart – who will play for the Doves in the Under 17 Red grand final on Saturday – was one of four first-timers selected in the team, alongside Beaconsfield mid-courter Rylee Nelson, the versatile Alanah Hardy from Cranbourne and Tooradin goaler Alex Maher.
Seagulls coach Kelly Andrews was named as coach for the second consecutive year, joining Leigh Taylor, Tara Cecil, Gabrielle Dwyer, Karli Foster and Sharni Lambden as members of the side to back up from last year.
Taylor was the only player to make the side for the third year running, while Erin Clark, Rahni Samason and Cecil have now been selected three times in the last five years.
Preliminary finalists Cranbourne and Narre Warren led the contributions this year, with three players each, with Beaconsfield, Doveton and Tooradin having two, with Foster being the only player named for Hampton Park.
Berwick, Pakenham and ROC had no players named in the team this year.
A total of 157 players took to the A Grade courts this season, made up of Beaconsfield 14, Berwick 17, Cranbourne 15, Doveton 28, Hampton Park 22, Narre Warren 15, Pakenham 20, ROC 12 and Tooradin-Dalmore 14.
SEFNL NETBALL TEAM OF THE YEAR
GOAL SHOOTER Rahni Samason Doveton
GOAL ATTACK Alex Maher Tooradin-Dalmore
WING ATTACK Leigh Taylor Narre Warren
CENTRE Hayley Stewart Doveton
WING DEFENCE Erin Clark Narre Warren
GOAL DEFENCE Sharni Lambden Cranbourne
GOAL KEEPER Danielle Cameron Beaconsfield
INTERCHANGE
Gabrielle Dwyer Narre Warren
Alanah Hardy Cranbourne
Karli Foster Hampton Park
Rylee Nelson Beaconsfield
Tara Cecil Cranbourne
COACH
Kelly Andrews Tooradin-Dalmore