TWO Hampden league powerhouses have dominated the netball team of the year, which was announced Thursday. Reigning premier Warrnambool and emerging force Camperdown have three players each named on the court. Terang Mortlake’s Jessica O’Connor rounds out the starting seven. Despite playing goal shooter for much of the season, O’Connor has been selected as the competition’s top goal defence. Koroit’s Kate Dobson was named coach of the year, while Blues veteran Jacqui Bowman was chosen as the best captain. The team includes Camperdown’s Emma Wright (GK), Emily Stephens (WD) and Narelle Welsh (GK), Warrnambool’s Jacqui Bowman (WA), Siobhan Sefton (C) and Darcy Saunders (GA) and the Bloods’ Jessica O’Connor (GD). Roosters playing coach Leah Kermeen and midcourter Meleita Finnigan were named substitutes, with Koroit defender Stacey O’Sullivan. Warrnambool’s Trish McLeod was recognised as the league’s top netball team manager.
WITH three out of three flags, the Merrivale clubrooms were seemingly the place to be last Saturday night. The success prompted a different greeting than usual from whoever picked up the phone. Rather than a standard “good evening” or “hello”, callers were welcomed with “house of winners”.
IF you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to experience two contrasting emotions at exactly the same time, ask Merrivale’s Danielle McInerney. The best-on-court recipient in last Saturday’s Warrnambool and District league grand final was experiencing both pleasure and pain when the final whistle went. As she attempted to jump for joy after winning her third premiership with the Tigers, she crashed to the ground due to cramp. Seeing her teammates embrace while she was lying on the ground in agony proved to be a funny sight for spectators. The goal attack spent the dying minutes of the game limping around the court. The cramp was so bad she called time with a few minutes remaining before hobbling back on, where she immediately came up with an intercept. “I’ve been cramping up the last few weeks,” McInerney said. “It’s only happened in the finals series. I mustn’t have worked hard enough during the season,” she quipped. While the goaler was an obvious choice for best on court, she didn’t believe her performance was special.
A PERFORMANCE which the crowd clearly thought was special came from Lewis Blake and Sam Ferriday. Merrivale premiership coach Emily Batt organised bodysuits for the duo, who wore their lycra proudly. Ferriday and Blake weren’t afraid to get in touch with their feminine side, completing the outfit with black and gold pom-poms. Spectators enjoyed the passionate supporting from the pair, particularly when an injury time was called during the match. The cheerleader-like Tigers took it on themselves to provide some entertainment, making their way to the baseline before pulling some dance moves with their pom-poms. They also got Merrivale’s fans involved a few times by starting the “give me an M” chant and once the match was over they started singing the Tigers’ theme song, with the crowd joining in.
THE saying that anything can happen in finals proved true in Warrnambool and District league. When it came to both football and netball, just one side which finished on top of the ladder after round 18 claimed the premiership — Merrivale’s A grade netballers.
YOU wouldn’t think there’s too many ways to tape a netball game but an official of a local league found out an unusual method. She was approached by a club seeking permission to video a match, which she happily agreed to. But then came the strange part. They wanted to know if they could attach a camera to the netball ring. She was baffled by the question and asked the club to get back to her regarding the logistics of the operation. The club never did follow up its inquiry, prompting the league to wonder if it was simply a joke.
PERHAPS the Hampden League needs a new stamp for pass outs. Players and spectators of Sunday’s senior first semifinal got a laugh when play was stopped because the umpire thought someone had a smidge of blood on their wrist. It turned out to be a passout stamp, which is red.
CAMPERDOWN’S senior and A2 netballers discovered last Saturday that chivalry is well and truly alive. The Magpies took a bus to the second semi-final at Port Fairy, where senior coach Leah Sinnott said they ended up bogged. “We tried to push it out but that wasn’t going to happen,” she said. “Myself and a few others went for a walk to see if anyone knew a way of getting us out. Kathy Hall ran into someone . . . and just asked if he had a tractor. He said ‘as a matter of fact I do’.” That someone was outgoing Timboon Demons coach Brad Sholl, who doesn’t live very far from Gardens Oval. He brought back a tractor and rescued the Magpies, who arrived back in Camperdown almost an hour later than planned. Sholl’s reward: a beer.
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