By Russell Bennett
WEST GIPPSLAND FOOTBALL NETBALL COMPETITION
REVIEW – AFL VICTORIA COMMUNITY CHAMPIONSHIPS
For Kate Steel’s Phillip Island, it’s been a decades-long wait to claim A Grade premiership glory so, in part, that’s what made Saturday’s senior interleague win over Maryborough Castlemaine at Garfield all the more sweet.
Steel, the Island’s A Grade coach, took the helm of the senior WGFNC side this year in an effort to help bring about their first interleague win since the return of the West Gippsland name in 2017.
This year’s side was one loaded with talent, and one that – ultimately – proved too much for the visitors to handle in a 16-goal triumph, 51-35.
In talking with the Gazette in the wake of a super successful Saturday which also produced interleague wins for the senior and junior footballers, as well as the under-17 netballers, Steel said she hadn’t even thought about the achievement of being part of the first successful crop from the WGFNC.
“I’m thrilled we were the first – I’m pretty stoked actually – but I hadn’t even thought about that,” she said.
“I was pretty happy regardless.”
Steel admitted that she’s “pretty organised in all aspects of life” and felt a little unprepared in the build up to Saturday’s big clash, adding that she would have liked at least another couple of sessions for the group to gel and acclimatise.
That said, she knew the girls selected were more than capable of coming away with a key win.
Steel said when she knew she had the interleague role, she made a series of calls to players she knew were “the cream of the crop” across the league and encouraged them to try out for the side.
In the lead-in to Saturday’s game, she said she made “almost a throwaway comment” about a lack of height amongst the group.
“But I thought about it after, and we did have quite a bit of height with girls like Shay (Kyle), Britt (Thomas), and Kelsey (Buxton).
“It was a throwaway comment because in the end we were tall down both ends, and even through the midcourt.”
Inverloch Kongwak star Buxton was adjudged player of the game for her performance as part of a side that, much to Steel’s delight, had plenty of versatility.
“Kelsey is an amazing player,” Steel said.
“I hadn’t seen her play all that much recently… but I know she’s a VNL championship player.
“I came into the tryouts expecting big things, and she more than brought them to be honest with you.
“I had Kelsey and Shay, who are top level netballers, and I’m trying to coach them and give them advice but they’ve just got so much knowledge already.
“For me it was just reinforcing the key points – more of a reminder of what they do on a day-to-day basis.”
In Steel’s own words, “Kelsey had an absolute blinder”.
“It was just her gameplay in attack, the way she brought the ball down the court, her voice, and direction – they were incredible, just outstanding,” she said.
“She probably got 15 intercepts for the game.
“She just went for it and it was a credit to her – she was a true standout.”
Despite a significant half-time advantage West Gippsland’s way, Steel said the Maryborough Castlemaine side maintained the fight and continued to pile on the pressure throughout the second half.
On a personal level, Steel spoke of her love of interleague and being able to lead a side to a trophy.
“It’s been a little while since I’ve had one (locally),” she said.
“Phillip Island has fought for a while to get there, but that feeling of success – it’s so worth it and worth fighting for.
“I love interleague. A few girls love the weekend off, and sometimes the best of the best don’t always show up to the tryouts, but personally I love it.
“If I have the chance, I’ll always try out and always continue to have a crack.
“It really is great to play with different people throughout the competition who you have these rivalries with. It just shows they’re really good people off the court who can play well together.
“My heart is always with the Island, but I’d always play interleague if given the chance.
“I always step up a level with these girls around me – I feel like I’ve got something to prove, to try and bring it home for West Gippsland.”
Steel said she’d always encourage as many young players as she could to buy-in to the interleague concept.
Those who did represent West Gippsland on Saturday as part of the competition’s under-17s side were part of a comprehensive win over Maryborough Castlemaine in the curtain-raiser to the senior clash, 77-20.
Another Inverloch Kongwak star, Millie Sadler, claimed best-on-court honours in a side that was filled with genuine A Grade talent.
“They’re the future of West Gippsland,” Steel said, adding she’s sure some of this year’s under-17 crop would push the seniors at interleague tryouts next year.
Both the senior and under-17 outfits have plenty of youth on their side, which promises to deliver plenty of excitement for the competition moving forward.
Steel said she was particularly impressed with Sadler and Sea Eagles team mate Lanni Pryor on Saturday, as well as Bunyip shooter Jasmin Mackie, Kooweerup’s Jaymee Eastwood, and Dalyston’s Grace McRae.
