Important roles at either end of the court help Eagles fly into bye winners

Skye Billings' 45-goal performance and Ashlea Ferguson's calming influence in the back court helped North Warrnambool Eagles overcome a gutsy Terang Mortlake at Bushfield Recreation Reserve on Saturday, April 27.

The Eagles' 70-52 win was their third from four matches to start the 2024 season.

Ferguson, 22, is combining with teenage goal keeper Matilda Sewell.

"Tilly and I work really well in the ring together. We are definitely working each other out now so I think it's onwards and upwards from here," she said.

Ferguson feels she's playing her best netball after a serious ankle ligament injury in 2022 and the birth of her 15-month-old son Cooper in January 2023.

Eagles leader Ange Jellie was rapt with Billings and Ferguson's efforts at either end of the court.

"Skye has just been so consistent over the last three weeks and then today she just lifted when she needed to," she said.

"She took many balls when she was under lots and lots of pressure and took it cleanly and put the goal in. It's all we ask, she was awesome today."

Terang Mortlake coach Kym Grundy said Billings was hard to negate.

"They are a good team, they have played together a long time and Skye Billings gosh, she's one of the most clever goal attacks," she said.

The Eagles held a nine-goal margin at the main break and asserted their dominance in the second half.

"Our words at half-time were to 'draw breath, take control and play our style of game'," Jellie said.

"We know there's lots to improve on but to get three wins in the first four rounds is an awesome start and I couldn't ask for better."

Grundy, whose side has won two of its first four games, is thrilled with the Bloods' competitiveness.

"I felt until half-time we were with them, even though the scoreboard probably didn't reflect it, but they probably had more legs than us at the end of the day and had a few moves we couldn't counteract," she said.

"But I was happy with our girls - they played it out. That was a really tough, physical match."

Goal shooter Eboni Knights, wing attack Ava Grundy and defender Sarah Davis caught the coach's attention.

Alice Suhan, who is playing for Ballarat league club Lake Wendouree while she completes year 12 at Ballarat Grammar, was available for Terang Mortlake too.

"You can put Alice anywhere - she just does what you need her to do time and time again," Grundy said.

"She's a club kid and she always want to come home when she can. Everyone is happy for it - she fits in and she would've been there (full-time) if she wasn't doing year 12 at boarding school."