NIRRANDA goal shooter Joanna Couch has capped off a brilliant season with victory in the Warrnambool and District A grade league best and fairest.
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Couch polled 28 votes to win from Old Collegians’ dynamic goal-scoring duo Steph Townsend and Sophie Ballinger who finished on 26 votes each.
In a thrilling count, Townsend had 26 votes going into the last round with Couch on 25 and Ballinger 23.
Townsend failed to poll a vote in the Warriors’ win over Deakin University while a best-on-court performance from Ballinger earned her three votes and a share of the lead.
It all came down to the final game in which Nirranda defeated South Rovers 66-42.
Couch caught the eye of the umpires and emerged with the three votes to surge past the Warriors pair and claim victory.
It was her sixth three-vote game in a season where she polled in 12 games.
The outstanding season from Couch lifted the Blues to sixth place, missing the finals by just two points.
It was Couch’s first season at Nirranda having played all her career before that at Terang Mortlake. She made the move along with her twin sister Lisa.
She said the change of environment was an enjoyable one.
“I am doing my gap year so Nirranda is a bit closer to home so it made it easier,” Couch said.
“Everyone was really welcoming and it was a good challenge because I wanted to play well to prove myself to my teammates,” she said.
“It was a fun year, Anna Murnane is a really good coach, she is a great motivator.
“I am hoping to go to university at Deakin in Geelong next year so I’m not sure what I will do as far as netball goes.”
In B grade Russells Creek goal defence Melina Kelson blew away the opposition to win with a 10-vote margin.
Kelson polled 32 votes to win from Old Collegians’ Brooke Townsend and Merrivale’s Lucy Woonton, who polled 22 votes each.
Kelson was consistent throughout the season, polling in 13 games, but it was a big conclusion that sealed the win.
She polled 14 votes in the last five rounds, a period in which she landed four of her eight three-vote games.
Kelson said she was happy with her season.
“I have played okay but the main thing is the team has gone really well, we finished second,” Kelson said.
“We lost our first final but hopefully we can bounce back this week.”
Kelson has played all her netball at Russells Creek, most of it in the midcourt before a move to defence in the last two seasons.
