Stanhope had to work for it, but earned its second premiership of the day.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
C-grade action brought us our first senior netball of the day at the Kyabram District League grand final event.
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Stanhope and Murchison-Toolamba, having each claimed a premiership each in the junior ranks earlier on, went at it 15 minutes prior to C-reserve commencing next door.
What a 15 minutes of standalone netball it was if you were a Lions fan.
If you blinked at any point in the first two minutes of this clash, you likely missed a goal with Stanhope four up before the Grasshoppers had their first look inside the circle.
Up 13-7 after the first period, the only higher-scoring effort in a quarter from any side to that point in the day had been the 17-and-under Lions’ final term just moments prior.
To say things changed on a dime as the second term got underway would heavily understate the matter.
The Grasshoppers took the offence right back, lead by interchanging shooters Hayley Trevena and Holly Halliwell, and remarkably drew level at 23-all in the first half’s closing stages in a mighty burst.
Not content with an honourable recovery, the green and gold brigade fired home first to finally assume the ascendancy.
The Grasshoppers maintained a slender advantage of one or two goals for almost the entire term as the conditions threatened to play a role themselves.
Stanhope keeper Stephanie Said got up for a couple of clutch saves as her Lions were forced to answer some serious questions, with Trevena and Halliwell sinking some important ones to restore a three-goal Stanhope buffer with a quarter to play.
While there was every indication early that a blowout may have been imminent, it was by now well apparent that this one was not bound to look ugly on the scoreboard.
That said, Stanhope steadied and strongly ran it out, the Lions edging ahead and celebrating with arms aloft as the whistle blew on a premiership-sealing 38-34 result that brought home the club’s second flag of the day.
Murchison-Toolamba's Olivia Miller gets set to launch a pass.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
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Stanhope's Hayley Trevena tries to offload in traffic.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
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Stanhope's Zarlee Harris keeps on moving with a pass.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
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Stanhope's Zarlee Harris reacts fastest to the ball.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
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Murchison-Toolamba's Amber Nicholas gathers the ball after a foul.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
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Stanhope's Kara Canny takes her spot to restart play.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
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Stanhope's Hayley Trevena produces the quick ball.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
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Murchison-Toolamba's Leah Foley twists to take possession.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Playing coach Amanda Gledhill stated post-match that her belief never wavered despite the late pressure.
“We had a game plan just to go out and play 15 minutes at a time,” Gledhill said.
“We went out there and got on top of them but we knew they’d throw everything at us.
“We went back to what worked in the first and I had confidence in them the whole way through.”
“I think (the late message) was just going back to safe options and just giving it if it’s there; we relied a bit on fancy things to get through their defence but when we went back to basics we got it done.
“They all just love to be around each other and that’s got us to where we are, so that’s what I was communicating.”
Bucking the trend of goalers receiving best on ground recognition, Lions goal defence Bianca Atley was judged top of the pops in her side’s win.
“She’s got so much finals experience and I knew she was gonna stand up for us,” Gledhill said.
“When it looked like things were against us she got some big intercepts at the right time and just steadied the girls.
“Being a defender myself in a past life, I think they can be so underrated and she goes about her job and stands up when she needs to.”
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