Sport
26 April, 2026
Woodies zip out of blocks
NOT CONTENT with winning their first match since 2023 in round one, Inglewood’s A Grade netballers have doubled up with a 60-50 win against Marong.
NOT CONTENT with winning their first match since 2023 in round one, Inglewood’s A Grade netballers have doubled up with a 60-50 win against Marong.
Led by a powerful performance from goal defence Casey Zass, who won the Kaye’s Day medal for best on court, the Woodies were in control from start to finish.
Playing coach Dani O’Toole said a quick beginning was the team’s focus against the Panthers after a sluggish effort a week earlier when playing Pyramid Hill.
“We’re showing we can hold leads, and to do it being so new to each other, with only two games together, is a real positive.”
Only one player from last season’s team remains in the A Grade side, goal attack Teresa Fitzpatrick, who has already struck up a solid partnership with towering goal shooter Aleisha Shay.
Zass, who moved from Bears Lagoon Serpentine this season with O’Toole, has also forged a strong connection with goal keeper Georgi Short.
O’Toole said this week’s opponent Bridgewater would be another hard assignment for the Woodies. “We have three really tough games to start with – the whole competition will be close this season – and Bridgewater is very slick.”
The Mean Machine have suffered two tight losses so far, by three goals to Pyramid Hill and two goals to Newbridge.
PYRAMID Hill was back on the winning list after its shock opening round loss to Inglewood.
Runners up for the past two seasons, the Bulldogs have lost several key players over the summer but were able to come from behind to beat Bridgewater 53-30.
The Mean Machine led at half-time and at the last change but were unable to hold off the fast-finishing Bulldogs, who scored 12 goals to seven in the fourth quarter.
Coach Lou Dupuy said the result was frustrating as the game was Bridgewater’s to lose.
The Mean Machine led by up to eight goals but Dupuy blamed mistakes and fatigue for the last quarter fade out.
Young goal shooter Natalie Flood was outstanding, shooting at 93 per cent, making the position her own after stepping up from juniors.
Dupuy said this week’s focus would be on running out four quarters against surprise packets Inglewood.
CALIVIL won its first game for the season with a thrilling two-goal victory in a seesawing affair against Bears Lagoon Serpentine.
There were never more than three goals between the teams throughout, with Calivil holding on to a one-goal lead when the last quarter began.
Wing attack Ava Maxted was best on court for the Demons, with her hard running in both directions a highlight.
Coach Annie Blow said she could see connections growing between the players already after a big turnover of the squad.
Junior star Ruby Cullen, just 14, played a quarter as goal defence and then switched to goal attack in the final term, showing her enormous potential in both positions as she made her A Grade debut.
Serp coach Erin Varker said fatigue on a warm day led to some loose passes that turned the game in Calivil’s favour.
She said wing defence Macey Holland was the Bears’ best along with goal keeper Sarah Perry.
Young goal shooter Ava Francis remains a work in progress as she works to become more unpredictable in attack, but she was as accurate as ever under the ring.
NEWBRIDGE had a comfortable win over Maiden Gully at Riverside Oval that owed much to its strong defence.
Goal keeper Jas Daly and wing defence Jemma Gordon were the Maroons’ best, blanketing the Eagles’ attacking threat.
“Our defenders were awesome,” coach Hayley Martiniello said. “They created a lot of turnovers, making sure that those turned into goals, and our attackers really transitioned into defence as well.”
Gordon is in her first year of A Grade and has impressed Martiniello with her ability to learn and take on a new position.
Newbridge pulled away in the second half, outscoring Maiden Gully 31-16 after a reasonably tight battle to half-time.
Martiniello said there was a confidence and belief in the squad that they could be contenders this season.
TWO-TIME reigning premiers Mitiamo gave Macorna a lesson with a dominant 64-25 win on the Tigers’ home court.
The Superoos are looking extremely strong early in the season, and even with four changes from round one they were untroubled against the Tigers.
Perennial star Laura Hicks stood out in attack, while last season’s coach Abbey Battersby was rock solid in her goal defence role.
Centre Amelia Ludeman, the 2026 Helen Ward medallist, and wing attack Alicia Hay were also in top form.
Coach Jen Wilson said Macorna’s performance early in the game had surprised her “but once we settled and got into the swing of it, we pulled away”.
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