Sport
5 April, 2023
Easter season opener important game for Bombers and Eagles
It’s an important season opener for both Maldon and Dunolly for differing reasons when they take to the court for their Good Friday clash tomorrow. Maldon open their season determined to take the next step on the court — having won a final in...
It’s an important season opener for both Maldon and Dunolly for differing reasons when they take to the court for their Good Friday clash tomorrow.
Maldon open their season determined to take the next step on the court — having won a final in 2022 against Trentham in the opening week before eventually getting knocked out by the reigning premiers. Under new coach Elizabeth Woodward, the Dons will be aiming to break into the top four this season after finishing in seventh, a result which came despite the Dons winning five and drawing one of their first seven games, before falling away to finish with a 7-8-1 record.
Maldon will also be looking for their first season-opening win since 2018, having lost in 2019 and 2021 to Harcourt and Newstead respectively, before taking a dramatic draw in 2022 with the Steaders.
For Dunolly, the stake for them is to break back into the finals race, having finished 13th in season 2022. They were behind the eightball at the start of the season when they lost their opening five games, before going on a hot streak where they won three of their next four games, including an upset victory over Carisbrook.
But that was as good as it got for the Eagles, as they proceeded to lose their final seven games of the season to eventually finish in 13th, ahead of only the winless Talbot.
Nevertheless, with Eagles’ netball legend Ash Lierich at the helm, they will be confident that they can start to move back up the ladder in season 2023.
Dunolly will be eager to take some victories early in the piece given their difficult opening month of the season — one which sees them take on four finalists from last season, in the Dons, reigning premiers Natte Bealiba, Carisbrook and Trentham.
The two teams’ sole meeting last season was in round five. On that occasion, Maldon eventually won by eight goals.
It was a fast start which saw the Dons open up a seven-goal lead at the first change, having scored 15 goals to eight, before scoring a further nine goals to eight in the second stanza to take an eight-goal lead at half time.
Dunolly made their move in the third quarter, cutting the lead to just three goals at the final change thanks to an 11-goal to six term, before the Dons steadied, scoring 12 goals to seven in the final term to eventually record their win.
Katie Cutlack scored 37 goals for Maldon, and she was named as one of their better players alongside Katie Tong, while for the Eagles, Lierich starred alongside Leah Davies and Briella Gibbs, with Samantha Cheetham scoring 22 goals and Davis 12.
Play will begin at 2.35 pm at Maldon.