Never say never again

By Gavin Staindl
IT was only 18 months ago that former Melbourne Kestrels goalkeeper Melinda Cranston didn’t want anything to do with netball.
The Harkaway resident had played the sport for nearly 20 years and decided to take up a lifestyle free of the stresses that belonged to professional netballers.
But after finding herself sick of sitting on the sideline, Cranston, 30, returned to the court at the start of the year and last weekend was announced as the Victorian Netball League’s best and fairest player.
Cranston said she felt surprised at winning her second Margaret Caldow trophy despite a sensational season as the Boroondara Genesis goal keeper.
“I didn’t expect it at all,” Cranston said.
“My team-mate Kathleen Knott was awarded the Hot Shot and the Coach’s Most Wanted award so I was actually thinking she would get it (the Margaret Caldow trophy) but it’s funny the way it has worked out.”
Although Cranston says she was “bored out of her brains” during her year off, she admits it helped retain her enjoyment of the game.
“I was completely done, I was over it,” Cranston said. “But by June of last year I knew I should have played again.”
“Although I enjoy winning, I find it is not so much about winning anymore and now I just go out there to have fun.”
The trophy tops off an almost perfect return to the court for Cranston, who says she has never enjoyed the game more than she has this year.
After finishing clear leaders on the championship ladder after the regular season, Cranston’s Genesis fell at the last hurdle, going down to Monash by three points in the grand final.
Cranston was raised in a sporting family with her two brothers, Trevor and Russell, both making it to high levels in football and basketball.
But despite their achievements, Cranston, who grew up “idolising the local Tivendale girls rather than Liz Ellis” never thought she would be good enough to make it past her A Grade Cora Lynn side.
But after being spotted by Melbourne Kestrels scouts, Cranston was picked to play her first match in the orange uniform in a practice game against New Zealand.
“I remember the coach said to me ‘I’m going to start you with a tough task, I’m going to put you on (a champion goal shooter)’,” Cranston said.
“I was thinking ‘yeah, no worries, she has only got two legs, I’ll be right.’
“But she kicked my a***.
“I learnt a lot in those first few games.”
Cranston is five-and-a-half months pregnant with her first child and while she has ruled out playing next year she has taken solace from Vixens captain and 34-year-old Sharelle McMahon that she may return again.
“If she is still playing that well at that age, then who knows,” Cranston said.
“I’m certainly never going to say never again.”