By Russell Bennett
WEST GIPPSLAND FOOTBALL NETBALL COMPETITION
REVIEW – ROUND 6
The girls from Bunyip have enhanced their already impressive reputation as the big improvers of the WGFNC A Grade competition with a double-digit win over Kooweerup at ‘The Kennel’, 44-30.
The home side led 9-6 after a back and forth opening stanza, before converting that into a 10-goal lead at the main break – 21-11.
In-form shooter Jasmin Mackie continued to shine throughout the second half as the home side ultimately came away with a 14-goal win.
Bunyip last year finished seventh on the 10-team WGFNC A Grade ladder, but Ben Dixon’s side has shown a dramatic improvement this time around to trail only the rampant Tooradin-Dalmore through the opening six rounds of the 2019 campaign.
Their confidence continues to grow with every win, and the side is already one that all opposition sides should be wary of.
Cora Lynn, meanwhile, got out from under the shadow of its string of narrow losses already this season to pip the Warragul Industrials in the same fashion, 43-40.
The Cobras started fast at Western Park, leading by eight goals at quarter-time.
But the Dusties, in their first year in the West Gippsland competition, bounced right back in the second to steal the momentum and level the scores at 22-apiece at the main break.
From there, the Cobras impressively reversed the trend once again to lead with just a quarter to play, and this time they made the most of that advantage to secure the all-important four points.
Elsewhere across the competition, the Seagulls maintained their unbeaten start to 2019 with a clinical 33-goal win over a rebuilding Phillip Island at Cowes, 57-24.
The visitors converted a six-goal lead at the end of the first into a telling 15-goal advantage at the half, and then continued to run away with the contest over the final two quarters.
Inverloch Kongwak avoided what might just have been the upset of the season with a fast finish to overcome a determined Kilcunda Bass by 12 goals, 41-29.
The Panthers led by three goals at the end of the first, and still by a goal at half-time, before the Sea Eagles started to click into gear.
Nar Nar Goon’s clashes with Korumburra-Bena are always highly-entertaining tussles, and their contest on the weekend at Spencer Street was no different.
This time around, the Goon led by four goals at quarter-time and the score was deadlocked at the half.
But the Giants awoke from their slumber in the second half, ultimately winning by 17 goals – 51-34.
In the final game of the round, Garfield was predictably no match for Dalyston – losing heavily, 80-18.
The WGFNC recently announced the Open and 17-and-under extended squads for this weekend’s clashes against the Ellinbank and District Netball Association.
The Open netball squad includes: Jasmin Mackie (Bunyip); Gemma Stacey and Karla Brook (Cora Lynn); Alana McRae and Britt Thomas (Dalyston); Paris Toner (Garfield); Jaymee Eastwood (Kooweerup); and Bronte Evans and Bec Kinna (Tooradin-Dalmore). Ella Spencer (from the Warragul Industrials) was named emergency.
The 17-and-under squad included: Natalia Dijkstra (Bunyip); Gemma Thomas, Grace McRae, and Chloe Bramley (Dalyston); Sophie White (Garfield); Lanni Pryor, Rahni Mann, and Ella Sadler (Inverloch Kongwak); and Ester Evans (Korumburra-Bena). Korumburra-Bena’s Maddie Smith was named emergency.
