Katamatite sets PDFNL home and away season alight in 2024 and the Tigers are hungry for more

By Marcus Beeck

Aug 22, 2024

Katamatite’s A-grade co-captains Sharni Demasi and Ria Still alongside the senior football co-captains Nichol Clurey and Tom McNeil. Photo by Megan Fisher

Whatever you do in finals, don’t try to catch this Tiger by the tail.

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Katamatite has reached the rarefied air of securing the A-grade netball and senior football minor premierships for the 2024 Picola District Football Netball League season.

Looking back on the Tigers’ successful home and away campaign, in the football, Katamatite’s hopes didn’t appear all that flash in early April.

The Tigers were coming off a heavy first-round finals exit to Jerilderie in 2023, and in their first game to start the 2024 season, they received a 79-point shellacking from fellow finalist Katandra.

Katamatite’s football side co-captain Nichol Clurey reflected on how his team now sees the silver lining to its heavy loss to the Kats.

“We got smashed pretty much,” Clurey said.

“We underestimated (Katandra) going in and went out a bit cocky.

“In hindsight, it was probably a good thing as it brought us back down to earth.

“Since then, we have gone on a good run of wins and have only dropped (two games) since.”

After finishing sixth last year, Clurey believes that the growth from the Tigers this season has been internal.

Clurey said that a cleaner bill of health and greater connectivity between players had seen the Tigers rise to the top.

“We had a new group last year with a lot of new players, so it was just giving it that time to play together and we started to gel a lot more this year,” he said.

“Injury-wise, we have been better this year, which has helped us achieve more consistency throughout the season.

“Last year, we got hampered really early and it cost us.”

Unfortunately for Katamatite players and supporters, the Tigers lost their qualifying final to Katandra by 12 points at Jerilderie on Saturday.

The Tigers trailed 39-5 at half-time against the Kats before roaring home to fall short.

However, Clurey and his men have the opportunity to make amends this weekend when they play Katunga for a spot in a preliminary final against Waaia.

Katamatite can’t afford to have a similarly slow start against a quality side like Katunga in this do-or-die semi-final.

The race for the flag is still wide open, with Clurey believing that any of the remaining sides — on their day — could get on a roll and win.

“The top five is pretty even,” he said.

“If there is anyone (who is a dark horse), it is probably Katunga.

“They finished fifth, and they are probably flying under the radar a bit, but other than that, it is pretty even, I think.

“Whoever plays the best on the day will win.”

It’s all smiles from Katamatite’s A-grade netball co-captains Sharni Demasi and Ria Still and senior football co-captains Nichol Clurey and Tom McNeil ahead of a hopefully successful finals series. Photo by Megan Fisher

On the other side of the clubrooms, Katamatite’s A-grade netball team has arguably had a more impressive home and away season.

Finishing first on the ladder with a record of 15-1, the Tigers have hunted — unlike their namesake — as a pack in 2024.

Co-captain Ria Still believes consistency has been the key for the Tigers this year.

“It has been such a strong suit of our side,” Still said.

“We did drop a game against Strathy, but despite that, we feel like we have played some really strong, steady and consistent netball.

“The girls have all come together and we are just really excited about the opportunity to play finals.

“We are very competitive players and our team connection, we all get on really well off the court and we have that enjoyment of netball on the court; I think that shows when we play on a Saturday.”

Disappointingly for the club, the Tigers’ A-grade side also lost its qualifying final, this time to Katunga.

However, Still believes her side has the star power to fight its way to a premiership, highlighting fellow co-captain Sharni Demasi as someone the team can count on late in games.

“Sharni has had a really consistent season,” she said.

“We have such a good mix in our side of experience and a few young girls coming through, but I think Sharni will know when to turn it on.

“Taylah (Hazelman) through the midcourt and Tess (Lawless), Cass (Colbeck) and Ellie (Lazzarotto) in defence.

“Everyone plays such a vital role.”

Still took a similar viewpoint to Clurey regarding the Tigers’ premiership rivals, noting the even nature of the season.

“It’s a hard one because we don’t underestimate anyone,” she said.

“We value that anyone on a good day can put in a good performance.

“In saying that, there is no doubt that (Deniliquin) and Katandra are going to be tough outfits for us.”

This weekend, the A-grade and senior sides will play their semi-finals at Picola Recreation Reserve as the Tigers hope to back up the double minor premierships with a couple of flags come season’s end.