By David Nagel
We’re set for a thrilling second half of the WGFNC netball season with three teams tied at the top and at least another three not giving up on hopes of lifting this year’s premiership cup.
Inverloch-Kongwak, Nar Nar Goon and Tooradin-Dalmore sit proudly at the top of the ladder, while a high-scoring Bunyip – and determined teams from Dalyston and Phillip Island – look set to play key roles in this year’s finals series.
Tooradin-Dalmore came out firing against Phillip Island on Saturday, keen to rebound strongly after a huge loss against Bunyip last week.
The Seagulls looked back to their settled best, with strength all over the court setting up a match-defining first-quarter display.
The Gulls were ruthless, scoring 13 goals to five to set up their 55-39 victory.
There were no ‘Eb’s’ and flows with the Seagulls defence, with Ebony Mason (GK) and Ebony Dolan (GD) proving impenetrable in the first term.
The livewire combination smothered the Bulldogs with pressure, with youngster Lily Mewett (GS) and the experienced Christie Edwards (GA) struggling to break free for the Bulldogs.
Dolan gives nothing away in defence, with her combination of height, quick feet and fierce determination making her one of the most respected players in the league.
The Seagulls were on all over the court, with Jess Maher (C) controlling the midcourt, in the absence of Chloe Crouch, while Kayla Bratic (WA) and Abby Howe (WD) also started the game in top gear.
And if the ‘Ebs’ were firing at one end, it was an ‘Alex’ show at the other, with the Maher (GS) – Duff (GA) show giving the Seagulls the impetus to forge on to an impressive victory.
The Bulldogs showed great fight after quarter time, with Anthea Bennett (GD) and Mel Eagleton (GK) tightening things up in defence and Charli Ross (WA) and Lexi Walton (C) matching motors with the Seagulls through the midcourt.
But the damage was done in the first quarter…and the Seagulls proved too good.
Phillip Island face a tough home-game against Bunyip this week, while Tooradin heads to Spencer Street for a top-of-the-table clash with Nar Nar Goon.
The Goon was too good for Korumburra-Bena on the weekend, scoring a dour 36-26 victory at the Korumburra Showgrounds.
The defensive pressure of both teams was first-class with neither team allowed to gain any sort of momentum.
The Goon has only lost one game this season, against Dalyston in round-six, but we’ll get to find out its true prospects in the coming fortnight.
Games against Tooradin and Inverloch…well you don’t get any bigger test than that!
The Giants now get a week off before hosting Phillip Island in round 11.
Dalyston was forced to dig deep to score a nail-biting 31-29 victory over a rapidly-improving Cora Lynn at the Cobradome.
The Magpies’ three-game winning streak looked under serious threat, with the Cobras leading at half time, but a solid third-quarter led the visitors to a narrow victory.
The Magpies were really pushed to their limits as Cobras like Danielle Cameron, Bianca Douglas, Karla Brook and Rhi Haines hit the court with typical gusto.
The Cobras are playing some good netball at the moment and games against Kooweerup and Warragul Industrials provide them with some winning opportunities over the next fortnight.
Dalyston this week host Garfield.
In other games this week, Warragul Industrials banked its second win of the season with a 41-31 victory over Kooweerup, while Inverloch-Kongwak unleashed a new mid-season recruit in its powerful 61-11 performance against Garfield.
Former Korumburra-Bena midcourter Kelsey Buxton is now a Sea Eagle and showed her class in a polished first-half display.
The Sea Eagles are looking super-powerful at the minute, with Buxton adding class to a healthy midcourt that included Lanni Pryor, Rahni Mann and Tayla Robb on the weekend.
Robb also shared the goal-scoring duties with Kelly Boyd and Ella Sadler, while Renee Pilkington (GD) and Tayla Smith (GK) were ruthlessly efficient in defence.
Over four quarters they allowed Garfield just 11 goals, including a miserly one in the third quarter.
It was clearly the Stars lowest score for the season…previously held to 26 by Tooradin in round six.
Nat Sloan, Chloe Bluhm and Ash Hyde did well in defence for the Stars to stop this one from blowing out even further.
The ladder-leading Sea Eagles host the Dusties and the Goon over the next fortnight, while the Stars head to Dalyston this week before having the bye in round 11.
Bunyip had the bye this week…and heads to Phillip Island this Saturday.
A GRADE: Cora Lynn 29 v Dalyston 31, Garfield 11 v Inverloch-Kongwak 61, Kilcunda-Bass 0 v Bunyip 20, Korumburra-Bena 26 v Nar Nar Goon 36, Tooradin-Dalmore 55 v Phillip Island 39, Warragul Industrials 41 v Kooweerup 31.
B GRADE: Cora Lynn 36 v Dalyston 65, Garfield 12 v Inverloch-Kongwak 58, Kilcunda-Bass 36 v Bunyip 42, Korumburra-Bena 19 v Nar Nar Goon 59, Tooradin-Dalmore 53 v Phillip Island 47, Warragul Industrials 36 v Kooweerup 51.
C GRADE: Cora Lynn 28 v Dalyston 52, Garfield 38 v Inverloch-Kongwak 37, Kilcunda-Bass 24 v Bunyip 59, Korumburra-Bena 19 v Nar Nar Goon 21, Tooradin-Dalmore 14 v Phillip Island 33, Warragul Industrials 15 v Kooweerup 43.
D GRADE: Cora Lynn 18 v Dalyston 48, Garfield 14 v Inverloch-Kongwak 44, Kilcunda-Bass 29 v Bunyip 40, Tooradin-Dalmore 38 v Phillip Island 35.
17 UNDER: Cora Lynn 20 v Dalyston 0, Garfield 5 v Inverloch-Kongwak 69, Kilcunda-Bass 25 v Bunyip 47, Korumburra-Bena 41 v Nar Nar Goon 11, Tooradin-Dalmore 26 v Phillip Island 58, Warragul Industrials 10 v Kooweerup 36.
15 UNDER: Cora Lynn 16 v Dalyston 32, Kilcunda-Bass 10 v Bunyip 23, Korumburra-Bena 30 v Nar Nar Goon 18, Tooradin-Dalmore 13 v Phillip Island 32, Warragul Industrials 17 v Kooweerup 42.
13 UNDER: Cora Lynn 30 v Dalyston 2, Garfield 7 v Inverloch-Kongwak 10, Kilcunda-Bass 23 v Bunyip 13, Korumburra-Bena 16 v Nar Nar Goon 19, Tooradin-Dalmore 10 v Phillip Island 30, Warragul Industrials 18 v Kooweerup 31.
11 UNDER: Cora Lynn 5 v Dalyston 20, Garfield 0 v Inverloch-Kongwak 21, Kilcunda-Bass 13 v Bunyip 6, Tooradin-Dalmore 15 v Phillip Island 4.
WGFNC NETBALL LADDERS
A GRADE W L D F A % PTS
Inverloch-Kongwak A Grade 8 1 0 420 230 182.61 32
Nar Nar Goon 8 1 0 401 294 136.39 32
Tooradin-Dalmore 8 1 0 410 303 135.31 32
Bunyip 7 2 0 513 266 192.86 28
Dalyston 7 2 0 357 266 134.21 24
Phillip Island 5 4 0 425 340 125.00 20
Cora Lynn 3 6 0 294 316 93.04 12
Korumburra Bena 3 6 0 304 365 83.29 12
Warragul Industrials 3 6 0 312 455 68.57 12
Garfield 1 8 0 307 456 67.32 4
Koo Wee Rup 1 8 0 207 479 43.22 4
Kilcunda Bass 0 9 0 0 180 0.00 0
B GRADE W L D F A % PTS
Tooradin-Dalmore 9 0 0 568 316 179.75 36
Nar Nar Goon 8 1 0 458 241 190.04 32
Bunyip 8 1 0 465 245 189.80 32
Phillip Island 7 2 0 467 352 132.67 28
Inverloch-Kongwak 6 3 0 388 317 122.40 24
Dalyston 5 4 0 420 367 114.44 20
Korumburra Bena 2 6 1 310 393 78.88 10
Koo Wee Rup 2 6 1 273 421 64.85 10
Garfield 2 6 1 234 414 56.52 10
Kilcunda Bass 2 7 0 370 411 90.02 8
Cora Lynn 1 7 1 283 450 62.89 6
Warragul Industrials 0 9 0 252 561 44.92 0
C GRADE W L D F A % PTS
Bunyip 9 0 0 420 110 381.82 36
Garfield 8 1 0 312 208 150.00 32
Dalyston 8 1 0 349 184 189.67 32
Nar Nar Goon 7 2 0 281 181 155.25 28
Inverloch-Kongwak 6 3 0 311 196 158.67 24
Phillip Island 4 5 0 248 241 102.90 16
Cora Lynn 3 5 1 200 244 81.97 14
Tooradin-Dalmore 3 5 1 188 221 85.07 14
Koo Wee Rup 3 6 0 169 269 62.83 12
Korumburra Bena 1 8 0 188 290 64.83 4
Kilcunda Bass 1 8 0 164 364 45.05 4
Warragul Industrials 0 9 0 129 451 28.60 0
D GRADE W L D F A % PTS
Inverloch-Kongwak 8 0 0 353 135 261.48 32
Bunyip 6 1 0 305 131 232.82 24
Dalyston 6 1 0 286 128 223.44 24
Nar Nar Goon 5 2 0 262 135 194.07 20
Kilcunda Bass 3 5 0 196 229 85.59 12
Tooradin-Dalmore 3 4 0 178 265 67.17 12
Garfield 2 5 0 171 224 76.34 8
Phillip Island 2 6 0 174 322 54.04 8
Cora Lynn 1 7 0 164 275 59.64 4
Koo Wee Rup 1 6 0 117 322 36.34 4
Korumburra Bena 0 0 0 0 20 0.00 0
Warragul Industrials 0 0 0 0 20 0.00 0
17 UNDER W L D F A % PTS
Phillip Island 8 1 0 471 215 219.07 32
Dalyston 8 0 0 383 176 217.61 32
Korumburra Bena 8 1 0 359 175 205.14 32
Inverloch-Kongwak 6 3 0 367 223 164.57 24
Bunyip 6 3 0 320 226 141.59 24
Cora Lynn 4 4 0 270 223 121.08 16
Tooradin-Dalmore 4 5 0 285 287 99.30 16
Koo Wee Rup 4 5 0 225 260 86.54 16
Nar Nar Goon 2 7 0 221 305 72.46 8
Kilcunda Bass 2 7 0 207 331 62.54 8
Warragul Industrials 1 8 0 150 432 34.72 4
Garfield 0 9 0 71 476 14.92 0
15 UNDER W L D F A % PTS
Phillip Island 9 0 0 317 130 243.85 36
Korumburra Bena 8 1 0 265 160 165.63 32
Inverloch-Kongwak 8 1 0 230 131 175.57 32
Bunyip 7 2 0 229 146 156.85 28
Nar Nar Goon 5 4 0 232 200 116.00 20
Dalyston 6 3 0 199 201 99.00 24
Koo Wee Rup 3 6 0 195 207 94.20 12
Tooradin-Dalmore 3 6 0 169 195 86.67 12
Kilcunda Bass 2 7 0 155 242 64.05 8
Warragul Industrials 2 7 0 179 282 63.48 8
Cora Lynn 1 8 0 137 233 58.80 4
Garfield 0 9 0 0 180 0.00 0
13 UNDER W L D F A % PTS
Phillip Island 8 1 0 315 102 308.82 32
Koo Wee Rup 8 1 0 277 128 216.41 32
Nar Nar Goon 7 2 0 273 112 243.75 28
Warragul Industrials 7 2 0 241 117 205.98 28
Cora Lynn 6 2 1 202 94 214.89 26
Tooradin-Dalmore 5 3 1 136 99 137.37 22
Inverloch-Kongwak 5 4 0 134 116 115.52 20
Korumburra Bena 3 4 2 138 136 101.47 16
Garfield 1 8 0 99 220 45.00 4
Dalyston 1 8 0 42 224 18.75 4
Kilcunda Bass 1 8 0 60 303 19.80 4
Bunyip 0 9 0 38 304 12.50 0
11 UNDER W L D F A % PTS
Inverloch-Kongwak 8 0 0 160 29 551.72 32
Nar Nar Goon 6 0 0 177 9 1966.67 24
Tooradin-Dalmore 6 1 0 76 20 380.00 24
Phillip Island 4 3 1 87 101 86.14 18
Kilcunda Bass 3 5 0 56 108 51.85 12
Koo Wee Rup 2 4 1 50 94 53.19 10
Dalyston 3 4 0 63 69 91.30 12
Cora Lynn 2 5 0 56 111 50.45 8
Bunyip 2 6 0 55 121 45.45 8
Garfield 0 7 0 16 114 14.04 0
Korumburra Bena 0 1 0 0 20 0.00 0
Warragul Industrials 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0
