By David Nagel
The stage is set for one of the biggest games in West Gippsland netball this season with Tooradin-Dalmore and Inverloch-Kongwak putting their undefeated records on the line at Tooradin on Saturday.
The Seagulls have been one of the best teams in the region for many years now, claiming back-to-back flags in the now defunct South East competition in 2017-18, before winning the 2019 West Gippsland crown in their very first year in the competition.
Season 2020 was obviously called off due to Covid, while the Gulls sat third on the ladder – with a 9-2 record – when Covid stopped things again after round 11 last year.
It’s a magnificent record that is showing no signs of slowing down with the Gulls once again at the top of the pile…undefeated after six rounds.
But hot on their heels are an Inverloch-Kongwak side that continued its unbeaten run with a high-quality 44-38 victory over Bunyip on Saturday.
The Sea Eagles have been pushed in recent times, against Dalyston, Phillip Island and now the Bulldogs, but continue to do the right things to get across the line.
Coach Jarrad Walker has his team playing some superb netball, and Saturday was no exception, with the Eagles having to dig deep to get the points.
Bunyip started slightly the better and took a two-goal lead to quarter time.
The 10-8 margin was cut back by one at half time, with the Doggies taking a 22-21 lead into the second half.
But good teams have an extra gear and the Sea Eagles cut loose in the third term, scoring 14-7 for the quarter to put a space between the two sides.
All elements of the Sea Eagles’ game were on song.
Gun recruit Tayla Smith (GK) did a fantastic job of quelling the impact of star Bunyip goaler Jasmin Mackie (GS), while Linsey Boddy (GD) and Rahni Mann (WD) offered Smith some great support in defence.
Regular defender Renee Pilkington (C) was a shining light through the midcourt – with Lanni Pryor (WA) by her side – while Ella Sadler (GS) and Tayla Robb (GA) connected beautifully in goals.
Bunyip rallied the troops in the final term, with Chloe Papley (C), Olivia Hunt (GD) and Ally Johnson (WD) helping level the final-quarter scores…but the damage had been done during that third-quarter onslaught.
The Sea Eagles head to Tooradin, while Bunyip host Korumburra-Bena…who provided Cora Lynn with its first win for the season at the Cobradome on Saturday.
Things were tight and tense in the first quarter, with Cora Lynn taking a 9-8 lead, before the Cobras put the foot to the metal in the second term.
With Bianca Douglas (GS) and Gemma Stacey (GA) finishing off the fine work of their teammates, the Cobras rattled on 14 goals to six in the lead up to half time.
Karla Brook (C), Ellie Keen (WA) and Rhi Haines (WD) were sensational through the midcourt, connecting well with Emily Brook (GK) and Danielle Cameron (GD) to provide some great run out of defence.
The Cobras have been in pretty good form in recent times and thoroughly deserve their first win for the season.
Allan Douglas and his Cobras have the bye this week, while the Giants face another tough away trip…this time against Bunyip.
Dalyston has bounced back to the winners list, and inflicted Nar Nar Goon with its first loss of the season, with a hard-fought 37-28 victory at Dalyston.
The Magpies were coming off back-to-back losses against Inverloch and Tooradin and set the tone early for the win.
The Magpies will look to continue their bounce back in a challenging trip to Phillip Island this week, while the Goon hits the road to Warragul.
Despite the loss, the Goon is still sitting pretty in fourth spot and will look to build on their platform when they take on the Dusties this week.
Tooradin-Dalmore warmed up for this week’s big game against Inverloch with a comfortable 54-26 win over an improving Garfield.
The Gulls stars just did what they had to do but know the level will need to be lifted against the high-flying Sea Eagles this Saturday.
Garfield has come through an incredibly tough run of matches with its growing reputation intact…but will now look to put some wins on the board.
The winless Stars have two winnable games ahead…with Kooweerup and Cora Lynn on the horizon.
And Phillip Island bounced back from its six-goal loss to Inverloch last week with a thumping 73-12 win over Kooweerup.
The Bulldogs have a tough run ahead, against Dalyston, Nar Nar Goon, Tooradin-Dalmore and Bunyip over the next month…but will go in on a high after their biggest win of the season.
The Demons will look for a much more competitive showing when they host Garfield this week.
This week’s games in full: Bunyip v Korumburra-Bena, Kooweerup v Garfield, Phillip Island v Dalyston, Tooradin-Dalmore v Inverloch-Kongwak, Warragul Industrials v Nar Nar Goon, Cora Lynn – Bye.
WGFNC RESULTS – ROUND 6
A GRADE: Cora Lynn 47 v Korumburra-Bena 25, Dalyston 37 v Nar Nar Goon 28, Garfield 26 v Tooradin-Dalmore 54, Inverloch-Kongwak 44 v Bunyip 38, Kooweerup 12 v Phillip Island 73, Warragul Industrials 20 v Kilcunda-Bass 0.
B GRADE: Cora Lynn 31 v Korumburra-Bena 31, Dalyston 19 v Nar Nar Goon 45, Garfield 29 v Tooradin-Dalmore 55, Inverloch-Kongwak 17 v Bunyip 43, Kooweerup 28 v Phillip Island 48, Warragul Industrials 30 v Kilcunda-Bass 58.
C GRADE: Cora Lynn 30 v Korumburra-Bena 12, Dalyston 25 v Nar Nar Goon 29, Garfield 35 v Tooradin-Dalmore 10, Inverloch-Kongwak 11 v Bunyip 39, Kooweerup 12 v Phillip Island 19, Warragul Industrials 19 v Kilcunda-Bass 46.
D GRADE: Cora Lynn 0 v Korumburra-Bena 0, Dalyston 34 v Nar Nar Goon 14, Garfield 22 v Tooradin-Dalmore 33, Inverloch-Kongwak 29 v Bunyip 28, Kooweerup 29 v Phillip Island 28, Warragul Industrials 0 v Kilcunda-Bass 0.
17 UNDER: Cora Lynn 21 v Korumburra-Bena 28, Dalyston 49 v Nar Nar Goon 19, Garfield 7 v Tooradin-Dalmore 51, Inverloch-Kongwak 39 v Bunyip 24, Kooweerup 13 v Phillip Island 38, Warragul Industrials 22 v Kilcunda-Bass 39.
15 UNDER: Cora Lynn 15 v Korumburra-Bena 44, Dalyston 21 v Nar Nar Goon 20, Garfield 0 v Tooradin-Dalmore 0, Inverloch-Kongwak 23 v Bunyip 19, Kooweerup 16 v Phillip Island 39, Warragul Industrials 31 v Kilcunda-Bass 35.
13 UNDER: Cora Lynn 13 v Korumburra-Bena 13, Dalyston 1 v Nar Nar Goon 28, Garfield 6 v Tooradin-Dalmore 19, Inverloch-Kongwak 32 v Bunyip 0, Kooweerup 11 v Phillip Island 39, Warragul Industrials 38 v Kilcunda-Bass 4.
11 UNDER: Cora Lynn 0 v Korumburra-Bena 0, Dalyston 2 v Nar Nar Goon 14, Garfield 1 v Tooradin-Dalmore 12, Inverloch-Kongwak 26 v Bunyip 1, Kooweerup 6 v Phillip Island 6, Warragul Industrials 0 v Kilcunda-Bass 0.
WGFNC LADDERS
A GRADE W L D F A % PTS
Tooradin-Dalmore 6 0 0 273 152 179.61 24
Inverloch-Kongwak A Grade 6 0 0 296 172 172.09 24
Phillip Island 5 1 0 295 187 157.75 20
Nar Nar Goon 5 1 0 259 182 142.31 20
Bunyip 4 2 0 364 204 178.43 16
Dalyston 4 2 0 211 152 138.82 16
Korumburra Bena 2 4 0 200 239 83.68 8
Warragul Industrials 2 4 0 191 301 63.46 8
Cora Lynn 1 5 0 199 249 79.92 4
Koo Wee Rup 1 5 0 112 340 32.94 4
Garfield 0 6 0 213 315 67.62 0
Kilcunda Bass 0 6 0 0 120 0.00 0
B GRADE
Bunyip 6 0 0 330 132 250.00 24
Tooradin-Dalmore 6 0 0 411 184 223.37 24
Phillip Island 6 0 0 325 189 171.96 24
Nar Nar Goon 5 1 0 273 165 165.45 20
Inverloch-Kongwak 4 2 0 229 209 109.57 16
Dalyston 3 3 0 230 242 95.04 12
Korumburra Bena 2 3 1 228 245 93.06 10
Kilcunda Bass 2 4 0 252 267 94.38 8
Garfield 1 5 0 144 288 50.00 4
Cora Lynn 0 5 1 173 302 57.28 2
Koo Wee Rup 0 6 0 146 315 46.35 0
Warragul Industrials 0 6 0 165 369 44.72 0
C GRADE
Bunyip 6 0 0 275 63 436.51 24
Dalyston 5 1 0 191 117 163.25 20
Garfield 5 1 0 197 133 148.12 20
Inverloch-Kongwak 4 2 0 194 120 161.67 16
Nar Nar Goon 4 2 0 167 122 136.89 16
Tooradin-Dalmore 3 2 1 147 113 130.09 14
Phillip Island 3 3 0 155 142 109.15 12
Cora Lynn 2 3 1 114 144 79.17 10
Korumburra Bena 1 5 0 132 199 66.33 4
Kilcunda Bass 1 5 0 102 212 48.11 4
Koo Wee Rup 1 5 0 74 184 40.22 4
Warragul Industrials 0 6 0 95 294 32.31 0
D GRADE
Inverloch-Kongwak 5 0 0 227 87 260.92 20
Bunyip 4 1 0 210 89 235.96 16
Dalyston 4 1 0 182 96 189.58 16
Nar Nar Goon 4 2 0 188 126 149.21 16
Tooradin-Dalmore 2 2 0 110 122 90.16 8
Kilcunda Bass 2 3 0 120 136 88.24 8
Phillip Island 2 3 0 116 154 75.32 8
Cora Lynn 1 4 0 98 169 57.99 4
Koo Wee Rup 1 5 0 96 290 33.10 4
Garfield 0 4 0 97 135 71.85 0
Korumburra Bena 0 0 0 0 20 0.00 0
Warragul Industrials 0 0 0 0 20 0.00 0
17 UNDER
Phillip Island 6 0 0 306 113 270.80 24
Dalyston 6 0 0 267 113 236.28 24
Korumburra Bena 5 1 0 240 113 212.39 20
Bunyip 5 1 0 206 130 158.46 20
Inverloch-Kongwak 3 3 0 217 159 136.48 12
Tooradin-Dalmore 3 3 0 192 162 118.52 12
Cora Lynn 2 4 0 175 192 91.15 8
Kilcunda Bass 2 4 0 136 194 70.10 8
Koo Wee Rup 2 4 0 126 197 63.96 8
Nar Nar Goon 1 5 0 126 188 67.02 4
Warragul Industrials 1 5 0 108 272 39.71 4
Garfield 0 6 0 43 309 13.92 0
15 UNDER
Phillip Island 6 0 0 196 69 284.06 24
Korumburra Bena 5 1 0 168 90 186.67 20
Inverloch-Kongwak 5 1 0 134 99 135.35 20
Bunyip 4 1 0 117 77 151.95 16
Dalyston 4 2 0 117 113 103.54 16
Nar Nar Goon 3 2 0 110 92 119.57 12
Tooradin-Dalmore 2 3 0 101 94 107.45 8
Warragul Industrials 2 3 0 103 129 79.84 8
Kilcunda Bass 1 4 0 94 143 65.73 4
Cora Lynn 0 5 0 70 140 50.00 0
Koo Wee Rup 0 5 0 82 146 56.16 0
Garfield 0 5 0 0 100 0.00 0
13 UNDER
Phillip Island 5 1 0 205 61 336.07 20
Warragul Industrials 5 0 0 141 51 276.47 20
Koo Wee Rup 4 1 0 139 81 171.60 16
Cora Lynn 3 1 1 94 56 167.86 14
Tooradin-Dalmore 3 2 1 77 60 128.33 14
Nar Nar Goon 3 1 0 178 38 468.42 12
Korumburra Bena 2 2 2 80 76 105.26 12
Inverloch-Kongwak 3 3 0 78 87 89.66 12
Garfield 1 5 0 61 152 40.13 4
Dalyston 1 5 0 33 115 28.70 4
Kilcunda Bass 0 5 0 29 177 16.38 0
Bunyip 0 4 0 18 179 10.06 0
11 UNDER
Nar Nar Goon 5 0 0 143 4 3575.00 20
Inverloch-Kongwak 5 0 0 101 20 505.00 20
Tooradin-Dalmore 4 0 0 43 5 860.00 16
Phillip Island 3 1 1 65 40 162.50 14
Dalyston 2 3 0 31 51 60.78 8
Koo Wee Rup 1 3 1 30 85 35.29 6
Cora Lynn 1 3 0 28 73 38.36 4
Bunyip 1 4 0 28 97 28.87 4
Kilcunda Bass 0 4 0 22 58 37.93 0
Garfield 0 4 0 8 66 12.12 0
Korumburra Bena 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0
Warragul Industrials 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0
