Sport
22 May, 2026
2026 MCDFNL Netball Round 7 Preview — Navarre v Talbot
With both teams determined to cement their premiership credentials, Navarre’s clash with Talbot is poised to be a heavyweight bout between two of the competition’s newest powerhouses.
The Grasshoppers and Hawks have shared a remarkable rise after finishing the 2022 season with a combined three victories.
While Navarre rose to an unexpected finals appearance in 2023, the Hawks soared to heights that seemed unimaginable at the turn of the decade, making back-to-back preliminary finals.
Success adds expectations, and Talbot’s aspirations of taking that last step have hit a major snag over the past month, losing three straight matches. While their performances against Carisbrook and Lexton were worthy of victory, Talbot found themselves two steps behind the reigning premiers last weekend, allowing Avoca to snatch an early advantage they never relinquished.
Meanwhile, the Grasshoppers have been going on a tear in recent weeks, currently boasting a five-game winning streak after their 59-goal demolition of Campbells Creek.
It shouldn’t all be doom and gloom in the Hawks’ nest, as their aforementioned defeat to the Bulldogs ended with a driven fourth quarter sparked by several position gambles.
Elite midcourter Loren Aquilina was brilliant at goal attack during the second half, delivering deft passes to Elenoa Costello and finding the bottom of the net with regularity.
With Navarre’s monstrous defensive unit conceding on average 26.6 goals a game this season, it’ll be interesting to see if Aquilina is called upon to move into the shooters’ circle.