Can they be stopped?

Mariah Bell kept her eyes on the prize for this shot on goal against the Gulls at Denhams Road. 194281 Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

By Russell Bennett

WEST GIPPSLAND FOOTBALL NETBALL COMPETITION

REVIEW – ROUND 9

The merciless Seagull flock has just continued its rampage, with its three senior sides each a perfect 10-0 through the opening nine rounds of the WGFNC netball season.

The Gulls re-entered life in West Gippsland fresh off a dominant stint in the now-defunct South East Football Netball League (SEFNL), and there was plenty of intrigue surrounding just how they’d shape up against the likes of powerhouses Dalyston and Korumburra-Bena.

The answer? Scarily well.

Tooradin-Dalmore maintains perfect win-loss records so far in A Grade, B Grade, and C Grade competition – with the A Graders passing their latest test with flying colours at Denhams Road on Saturday.

Facing off against their neighbouring rival, the Demons, the Gulls jumped out of the blocks early in front of a passionate local crowd – taking a 17-11 lead into quarter-time.

From there, they continued to build on their advantage and stormed away in the fourth to ultimately win by 19 goals, 53-34.

The Gulls have played 10 games through the opening nine rounds – courtesy of the season-opener against Cora Lynn being brought forward.

Astonishingly, they’ve only conceded 27.4 goals per game over that stretch – clearly the benchmark of the competition, with Dalyston next best at 32.4 goals per game through their first eight completed contests.

Offensively, the Gulls are also unsurprisingly the class of the competition – scoring over 56 goals per game so far.

Elsewhere across the competition, Nar Nar Goon narrowly took the points in club champion Meg Evans’ return to Spencer Street – this time as a member of the Sea Eagles.

Inverloch Kongwak got the jump early, with Evans’ showdown up forward with the Goon defense one of the key talking points stemming from the contest.

She finished with 36 goals, but her former side got the last laugh – winning by five, 52-47.

The Goon bounced back impressively in the second quarter and kept their noses in front in the back-and-forth contest throughout the duration.

Hollie Keysers netted 35 goals for the home side.

The Magpies and the Giants, meanwhile, both recorded wins to further solidify their positions in the top three.

Korumburra-Bena was particularly clinical at the showgrounds, dismantling Garfield to the tune of 52 goals, 80-28.

Dalyston faced a more stern test in the form of the Yips, but also passed with flying colours courtesy of a clinical fourth quarter.

After a strong start, from which they led 17-9 at quarter-time, the Magpies kept Bunyip at arm’s length until the fourth, when they ran away with the contest in a 20-goal victory, 57-37. Shooter Jarney Thomas led the way with 43 goals in an impressive display.

Cora Lynn stayed within reach of the top five courtesy of a well-earned 12-goal win over Phillip Island at Cowes.

The Cobras doubled up the Bulldogs in the first, before the home side started to dig away at the deficit over the following two quarters.

But the visitors stretched away once again in the last to win 52-40.

In the remaining game of the round, the Dusties got the job done at home to also stay well within reach of the five – defeating the Panthers by 21 goals at Western Park, 53-32. The visitors were well in the contest early, before the Dusties stretched away gradually over the remainder of the game.