Netball
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A Grade
Coaches: Laura Irvine and Hannah Symes.
Captain: Sarah Senini.
There were many positives that came out of the disrupted and incomplete 2021 season for the Yarrawonga A Grade Pigeons.
The team celebrated the milestones of Bridget Cassar playing her 300th club game and Annalise Grinter playing her 200th A grade game.
The Pigeons played their first home game at the club in round five showcasing the newly renovated club facilities and competed on the new netball court.
The A graders proved a strong, experienced and established team starting the season with five wins on the board.
It wasn’t until round six, against Corowa-Rutherglen, that the A graders lost their first and only game of the season. Like any loss, it motivated the team to train smarter.
As many weeks were spent in lockdown, the team continued to train solo until the restrictions allowed them to train together.
Olivia Lovell and Tilly Kennedy were standouts in B grade and made their way up into the A grade, establishing their positions on the court.
Laura Davis had an incredible season, often playing in WA or WD, and never let her opponent beat her.
Sarah Senini and Bridget Cassar proved they are an unbeatable Ovens and Murray goaling combination, and each week were better and better.
Despite not being able to play for a premiership and finishing 2nd on the ladder, the last two games played against Wangaratta (3rd on the ladder), and top spot Corowa (practice match) proved how capable and how willing the A graders were to win the 2021 A grade O&M premiership.
Thank you to all YFNC volunteers for going above and beyond.
This year has taught the team to treasure the opportunity to play with friends and to play the game they love.
A Grade hope they can compete again next year in front of families, and all the volunteers and community of the Yarrawonga Pigeons.
B Grade
Yarrawonga B Grade should be very proud of their growth and their ability to adapt to the ever-changing season in 2021.
The girls showed determination early, achieving some fantastic wins. It was difficult for the team to find consistency as the team had to make several changes, but to the girl’s credit, they worked hard and came together as a team late in the season.
B Grade was playing some exciting netball and would have had a great finals series.
C Grade
The coaching group selected a larger than normal squad this year for the C grade.
Working hard on fitness, but also giving specific specialist tasks to the girls was the aim for 2021.
There was a new combination of players and after having a year “off” with covid there was lots of work to do.
The girls were proactive with their own personal training and responsive to the team tasks that were set, seeing the C grade get off to a flying start.
The new goaling combination comprising of young guns Eliana Martin and Delaynee Moon showed maturity beyond their years coming up against some very tough defenders.
Zoe Jones with her experience, would go in for a chop out and to steady the ship with her knowledge of the game.
The midcourt were extremely talented and experienced at Ovens and Murray level, Breanna Bailey, Caitlin Dwyer and Zoe have played over 100 games together, so a good base to add some fresh new faces and versatility in Emily McNamara, Erin Rees, Alisha O’Dwyer.
The defensive end led by the talented Macey Hicks had the most changes in personnel but kept rising to the challenge each week with Sarah Govan, Renee Ellen , and young gun Amy Barnes thrown into the mix.
The C grade had lots of injuries and unforeseen changes to the team this season. The girls were fantastic in their application at training, despite three lockdowns; their support to the coaches was unwavering and exciting for the club going forward.
The girls had a couple of much needed losses, giving the team the fire in the belly to improve and strive to be the best finishing minor premiers.
Zoe, Liv and Bridget would like to thank the girls for their support and hard work in what has been a challenging season.
A special mention to team manager Loz Lidgerwood for all her hard work and keeping everyone organised!
Thank you to those that did jobs each week, particularly Kerri Martin for scoring most games.
The games can only be played with the help of volunteers. Bring on 2022!
Under 17s
It was an exciting start to the 2021 season when, in the first match, the Under 17s almost overcame league heavyweight Albury Tigers.
Two of the youngest players tore up the court with a confidence that excited the seasoned players. The Under 17s continued their outstanding court play as the weeks progressed, showing talent all over the court.
The side again pushed a top three team only going down by one goal against Wangaratta Rovers.
The Pigeons showed consistency week to week and were able to solidify their position in the top 4. Confident they were playing their best netball; the side was extremely excited to be playing finals.
Captain Tess Byrne was an outstanding performer throughout the season and was a great role model to teammates with her high level of fitness and composure on the court.
Kyah Harvey was a match winner many times over and helped guide others in their performances whilst on the court.
Chloe Wheaton demonstrated an incredible defensive ability and will be one to watch in the years to come at YFNC.
Georgie Hemphill was another superbly fit player whose attitude and talent will take her far in her netball career.
Suzy Levesque tore up the court with her speed and agility and had such finesse when feeding the ball to the goalers.
Ella Burns was hard pressed to be beaten when posting up under the ring; her accuracy and positivity on the court was an asset to the side.
Another young gun Morgan McRae was so exciting to watch – her long arms got too many balls and she is a great reader of the play.
Bella Bridgeman’s versatility was an asset and her energy and voice on the court was a coach’s dream.
Mikyah Fraunfelder is an absolute talent – a natural netballer that can change a game with her understanding of the sport.
Mia Kennedy is yet another superstar of the sport; a centre-courter that was unstoppable this season.
Many thanks to talented assistants – Alisha O’Dwyer and Lauren Lidgerwood!
Everyone had such a terrific year together and the girls were truly a dream to coach.
Football
Whilst 2021 will go down in the sporting annals for all the wrong reasons, the 2021 Pigeon football and netball season was one of mixed success.
Ultimately the win-loss ratio of the seniors was nothing to write home about but the fact the squad was filled with young home-grown talent was a huge achievement and makes looking toward 2022 all the more promising.
Seniors
2021 started with quality players Jess Koopman and Willie Wheeler not even getting to the starting line, with season-ending injuries before the round 1 opening bounce.
Further, this match coincided with the cricket grand final and Coach Whiley’s start to season 2021 could not have been harder.
Then came round 2 against reigning premier Lavington at Easter which saw Xavier Leslie notch up 300 O&M games. It was a fine afternoon for an out and out star of the Pigeons.
From there the season turned in a series of close clashes where at times the young Pigeons would show their inexperience and lapse but at other times give a glimpse to their potential as an exciting one on one team.
The squad had a huge turnover of players through injuries and the like, 37 in fact tasted senior football over 13 games. Most pleasingly was the number of young players used by Coach Whiley:
Smith, Sexton W, Banch, Wheaton (all still u18 players in 2021)
Meade J, O’Dwyer, Forge, Hemphill (all 3rd XVIII players in 2020)
Meade H, Sharp, Tonna, Frauenfelder, Lawrence, Sexton, Bruce and Casey all 21 and under.
Combined with these 16 young players was the experience of Leslie, Howe, Masters, Lovell, Morey and Wheeler.
However, most pleasing is the manner in which the squad conducted themselves and continued to compete into the season.
All the players are locals with the only travelling players being Lach Howe, Riley Welsh and Logan Morey, each of which have strong connections through family with the town.
Undoubtedly, Coach Whiley will keep working with his young local squad with the plan to continue and develop the Pigeons into a finals contender in 2022.
Reserves
After a very slow start to the season the squad was building nicely winning its last seven on the trot. Coach Grinter had his work cut out for him having over 50 different players during the course of the 13 matches.
However, with the squad on the improve and sitting third another run deep into September was on the cards.
Some of the standout performers:
Cory Pearn and Owen Conway in defence and attack respectively were the mainstays playing each match.
Corey has developed into a good lockdown defender and Owen has been a hard-working half-forward all year.
Finding a new role in the ruck Brodie Tyson was a rising star earning senior selection in the last round.
Two of the key leaders on and off the field leading squad Matthew McCabe and Reid Clarke had good seasons and both worked into the season and as they usually do, they looked sharp and ready to dominate come September.
Thirds
The thirds set the tone each morning for the day of football to follow. With a squad regularly missing players to the seniors, Coach Frauenfelder, along with Terry Cartwright, did an excellent job.
Some key movers were:
Sam Hemphill: after returning from an early-season injury he performed strongly and a couple of appearances in the seconds have only served to accelerate his development.
Ben Woodburn: a standout each week knocking on the door for senior selection much of the back half of the year.
Hunter Surrey: another who has continued to build his year and seems to enjoy the game the more it steps up.
Ben Coghill: recruited into the Pigeons this year the young forward is one to watch.
Perhaps the biggest testament to the development of the squad was the last game of the season where Coach Whiley and Coach Frauenfelder put together a full-strength thirds team to take on then flag fancied Wangaratta.
Not only did the young Pigeons side match it with Wangratta all day, when the match tightened in the final stanza the whole squad lifted to deliver a great team win.
With each head coach returning in 2022, the Pigeons are well placed to have each of their teams competing at the pointy end of the season.