By Russell Bennett
WEST GIPPSLAND FOOTBALL NETBALL COMPETITION
REVIEW – ROUND 10
Cora Lynn stalwart Kylie Lacunes made history on Saturday, becoming just the third player to ever reach the magical 350-game milestone for the club when the Cobras hosted the Sea Eagles.
Kylie, a mother of three, has also played at Ellinbank and District Netball Association (EDNA) club Nilma Darnum.
She’s has played right across the grades throughout her netball career to date and is known as a particularly hard-working and dedicated member of her club.
In fact, not only has she played for Cora Lynn with distinction, she’s also served as an umpire, and on the committee.
Now an active member of the junior club, Kylie’s influence continues to be felt.
Wayne Gunton – Kylie’s father, a life member and ex-president of the club – was there on Saturday to watch her chalk up her impressive milestone.
Jaimee De Jong chalked up her own 350 game milestone for the Cobras in August of 2016. At the time she spoke about the life-long friends she’d made at the club – like Jacqui Dennis, who she started way back in the under-13s with.
“It’s people like that who keep on coming back that make this such a great place to play,” Jaimee said.
No doubt Kylie would echo those sentiments.
Coincidentally, Jaimee has also served on the club’s committee, and umpired; and at the time she was presented as a 350-game player, it was fellow life member Jacinta Gunton who spoke about her career achievements in front of her team mates.
On Saturday, Cora Lynn and Inverloch Kongwak were particularly evenly-matched across the board, with the visiting Sea Eagles snaring the honours in A Grade, 57-38.
Kelly Boyd (36 goals) and Olivia Cope (21) impacted the scoreboard for Inverloch, while the impressive Kelsey Buxton again made her presence felt in the latest chapter of what’s been an outstanding 2018 season so far, both individually and as a key component of a Sea Eagles side that currently sits two games and percentage inside the all-important top five.
Similar to the WGFNC senior football season, the A Grade netball competition is incredibly evenly-matched. At this stage it’s just percentage points separating Korumburra-Bena in third, from the Sea Eagles in fifth. The Giants, Demons, and Sea Eagles have all won seven of their opening 10 games this season, while the undefeated Dalyston, and the 8-2 Phillip Island head the pack.
The girls from the Island were pushed all the way in a thoroughly entertaining clash at Denhams Road against the hometown Kooweerup. The visitors led by two goals at the end of the first quarter, and by the even slimmer margin of a goal at both half-time and three-quarter time before finally putting the contest beyond doubt in the last and winning by nine goals.
The clinical Dalyston, meanwhile, restricted Kilcunda Bass to just 18 goals in their 51-18 win at home.
In the other results across the round, Korumburra-Bena ultimately proved too strong for Nar Nar Goon, winning 40-28; and Garfield was no match for Bunyip, losing at Beswick Street by 49 goals, 31-80.
This week, the Sea Eagles host the Demons in what’s set to be an enthralling contest at Inverloch, while Phillip Island hosts Dalyston at Cowes in the round’s other sure-fire blockbuster.
