Allen was named the Hampden league's netball rising star on Sunday, following a strong individual season in Port Fairy's midcourt. While the Seagulls struggled to find team success, finishing bottom of the ladder without a win, Allen felt she had a good season consistency wise.

"Even though we didn't win a game, I felt I tried my best, put everything out there and I did alright," she said.

Allen, 18, credits her endurance and ability to read the play as cornerstones of her game, alongside her determination.

"I'm able to run out the game for four quarters in centre," she said. "And I just try my best and work with my teammates to play as best we can."

Allen said she "definitely learnt a lot" when coming up against more experienced players.

"I'm coming up against some really strong players who have played for much longer than I have," Allen said, crediting North Warrnambool Eagles' Maddie Vardy as her toughest opponent.

Rising up the junior ranks at Port Fairy, Allen played her first senior game when she was in under 17s before making her open debut prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. She said as the Seagulls struggled for numbers this year, it was great to see several juniors step up from under 15s into open grade.

"It's been great to give them some more experience and teach them along the way," she said. "Just watching them improve and get better has been great."

With results falling the wrong way, Allen said the Seagulls put their focus on the little things they could improve on.

"I think just working on our attacking end and making sure our juniors work on getting the ball down the court," she said. "Just some specific plays that work for us and little things like dodging and clearing out and making space has been a big focus. Just trying to work on the little things to become better as a team."

Allen said winning the rising star award was a great feeling, despite not expecting to feature. She said her parents Gareth and Shane, stalwarts at Port Fairy, were particularly pleased.

"They were pretty excited," she said. "They were just proud and happy."

Allen, who is working at St Patrick's Primary School as a trainee in her gap year, will start an exercise and sports science degree at Deakin University's Waurn Ponds campus in 2023. She said she hadn't decided where she would play her netball next year, as she first focuses on settling into university.

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