KATE Dobson wants her Koroit team to be the focus in tomorrow’s grand final. But when she creates a slice of league history by playing her 300th A grade game with the Saints, it’s hard to avoid the spotlight.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The dynamic midcourter becomes just the sixth player in the Hampden league’s 28-year netball history to reach the 300-game milestone. Only the league’s games record holder Tracey Baker, of Camperdown, who has played 378 A grade matches, Angela Jellie, Elise Darcy, Megan Titmus and Stacey O’Sullivan have reached the 300-game mark.
Dobson, the Saints’ co-coach, is hoping tomorrow’s match will be remembered as her seventh A grade premiership.
But she has to recover well from a fitness test last night to take her place in the Saints’ midcourt tomorrow.
For a player that estimates she has only missed three games in her durable career because of injury, a hamstring strain has complicated the build-up.
The injury kept her out of the Saints’ second semi-final side which two weeks ago defeated tomorrow’s opponent, Hamilton Kangaroos, by 17 goals. “It feels fine,” Dobson said.
“I haven’t gone at 100 per cent yet but I saw (physiotherapist) Margaret Hulin on Monday and she said it was fine.
“I could have played if I had to (in the second semi). I was 60-40. But she thinks I’m 100 per cent.”
The 35-year-old has only ever had one soft tissue injury before and that was a quad strain so many years ago Dobson can’t remember.
“If it was a home-and-away game there wouldn’t be any anxiety about it. I have stretched out to 70 or 80 per cent and I haven’t felt it, which is good because that’s where I was feeling it.”
Dobson said regardless of tomorrow’s result, her A grade career that has stretched over 19 years with the Saints was about to end.
Her record of 299 games, six premierships so far from eight grand final appearances as a player and three league best and fairest awards, ensures a special place in league history. She said she was planning on stepping back to A1 next season.
“I’m not saying I will never ever play A grade again. If I have to fill in I will but my focus will be on the twos.”
Dobson said the time was right to step away from the elite level.
“You feel like you can compete for a half or three quarters. But it’s the stuff during the week. You want to do fitness stuff and you can’t. It interferes with daily life. You have to rest more than you exercise.”
Dobson said she was “very, very lucky” to have remained injury-free during her career.
Co-coach and great friend Kate Foster said Dobson’s work rate was a hallmark of her career.
“Kate never plays a bad game,” Foster said.
“She always contributes, her work rate is great. The limelight is probably off her these days because we have so many great up and coming players so the expectations on her are not as high.”
Dobson might have kept a low profile during the season but her hard-running, clean skills and match-winning defensive pressure, won’t go unnoticed tomorrow.