KDL ǀ Gallery ǀ Bulldogs best Redlegs to clinch B-grade premiership

By James Kleeman

Sep 18, 2022

We are the champions: Merrigum secured the KDL B-grade premiership. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

Before Merrigum’s Nhykira Mansfield ran out for the Bulldogs’ B-grade grand final on Saturday, she had secured two medals only a few hours earlier.

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Mansfield, who captains Merrigum’s 17-and-under team, had helped them to a thrilling come-from-behind win, taking out the best-on-court medal in the process.

The Bulldogs’ B-grade side ensured it’d be two netball wins from two for the club on Saturday, as they soared past Tallygaroopna with a determined 41-32 win.

Coaching them to the premiership, and taking to the sidelines for the second time on the day was Jennifer Smith, who doubles up on coaching duties at Merrigum.

“I’m a bit overwhelmed at the moment,” Smith said.

“Maybe later tonight I’ll know what it feels like, but yet again, it’s their efforts that have seen them rewarded for what they put in all year.

“Coaching two teams, they train together and play against each other regularly, and they work so hard together.”

Smith said the group of netballers at Merrigum had come into their own this year, and had developed into a wholesome unit that thrives on each other’s success on the court.

“We knew from the beginning we had something special here, we just didn’t know how special it was,” she said.

“Halfway through the season, B-grade really put their foot down and started to improve every week.

“It became really noticeable, and we were a force to be reckoned with in the finals.”

Six goals down at half-time, the Bulldogs, similar to the display from their 17-and-under side, found it within them to get the game back on their terms after the break.

“We had a really great second half after being six goals down at half-time,” Smith said.

“To turn it into a nine-goal win — a 15-goal turnaround in a grand final is excellent, I’m really happy with that.

“If that’s one thing they take away from today’s game, if you really put your head down and start working together, look what happens.”

“And there wasn’t just one, nobody played a real individual game, everybody played for the team.”

Determined displays from all across the court helped their side over the line at crucial stages, and Merrigum goaler Georgia Wilson received plaudits for a brilliant attacking performance.

“Our defenders have worked so hard all year and today they worked super hard,” Smith said.

“Georgia Wilson goaled outstandingly in the second half, she was really determined to get the ball.

“When our defenders started taking intercepts in that last quarter, it really lifted the team to go harder, even though we started to win by five or six goals, every time they got an intercept you could see the whole team lift.”