Port Fairy is a sea of purple and gold as shop keepers and fans show their support for the club.
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Port Fairy has a record four netball teams in Saturday’s Hampden League grand final to be played at Warrnambool's Reid Oval.
Port Fairy Newsagency owner Lee Kuprynsky said streamer and balloon sales were up as residents got behind their players and the club made banners for players to run through during the finals series.
The Hub Cafe co-owner and Port Fairy reserves footballer Dylan Nelson adorned its windows with club uniforms and decorations.
Mr Nelson said he was happy to see the club represented in four grand final games.
“It’s good for the town. We thought we’d put the team colours in the window and get everyone into finals fever.”
Club timekeeper since 1989 and long-time supporter Brett Murray said the club’s finals berth “means a hell of a lot.
“It means everything,” he said.
“My dad (Jimmy) was in the last grand final side. It would mean a lot to win a flag in his memory.”
Patti Murray and Marj Murrihy, whose husbands played in the 1958 Port Fairy premiership team, will be court side on Saturday.
“We’ve been following Port Fairy all our lives,” Mrs Murrihy said.
Daughter-in-law and club member Martina Murrihy is “very excited”.
“It’s wonderful and amazing to have the four teams in,” Mrs Murrihy said.
“We don’t know success much in Port Fairy so it’s wonderful and the success of the netball is amazing.
“It’s just a pity we didn’t get the others (senior footballers) over the line last week (against Koroit).”
She said having four teams represented “was the result of a lot of hard work by a lot of people”.
“There’s lots of good people who have came to town who have good experience with netball and love it.
“Four flags would be great but we’ll see how we go.”
“It will be huge,” Mrs Murrihy said of the support expected on Saturday.
“We start early with the 15 and unders at 9am so we’ll get a position and stay for the four games.”
Division 1 centre Jemmah Lynch played in the grand final game last year.
The team plays Cobden who they won against twice in the home and away season but lost to them in the semi final.
“I’m not as nervous as last year,” she said.
Kirsten Noonan in Div 2 plays wing defence said they were going into their game against Koroit as the underdogs.
“We lost both home and away games and then won the semi final by two goals. They’ve got a few good players that we need to shut down.”
Division 3 netballer Amy Harman is playing with her two sisters Sarah and Naomi in the grand final game against Hamilton and said they would have 20 supporters from their family on the sidelines.
Port Fairy’s 15 and under side will meet Koroit in their grand final game.
Open netballer Nicole Dwyer said while her team didn’t make the grand final, it was amazing to have so many club players vying for a premiership.
“In the history of the club we’ve never had four netball teams in,” Dwyer said.
“The most we’ve ever had on grand final day was two. It’s a bit surreal that a little town and club can get four teams in.”
She credited good structures and coaches off court and a commitment from long-serving players for their success.
In the history of the club we’ve never had four netball teams in. The most we’ve ever had on grand final day was two. It’s a bit surreal that a little town and club can get four teams in.
- Open netballer Nicole Dwyer
“A lot of the girls are on the same page and we’ve retained a lot of girls who have played together for a number of years. You start connecting and there’s that bond. Instead of getting new players all the time you’re building on that connection.”