Sport
1 July, 2025
Giants power past Magpies
Teenage sensation Lacey Broad was unstoppable at Campbells Creek, scoring 74 goals in the Maryborough Giants’ 84-46 victory over the Magpies.
With defender Julie Anderson unavailable due to injury, Ash Egbers was called up from B grade to start at goal keeper. Fellow B grade defender Cassidy Miller was also called up as a substitute for the unavailable Ella Hocking.
In a massive boost to their squad, Elouise Jones returned for Campbells Creek on Saturday, replacing Paige Langley in the attacking goal circle.
After a slow start to the quarter, the Giants started to find some space across the court midway through the period and took full advantage, building a 21-7 lead at quarter time.
The connection between Broad and Christie Chapple was especially fruitful in the opening term, with Chapple frequently delivering inch-perfect lob passes to Broad, allowing the shooter to score 16 goals.
Broad’s shooting partner, Ruby Saunder, not only made some strong intercepts in the attacking third but added five goals herself.
Jones made her presence felt in her return with five first-quarter goals while Jemma Finning added two for the Magpies.
With the Giants finding considerable success with the lob pass in the first quarter, Magpie defenders Katina Hawken and Lizzy Clarke started to double-team Broad in the goal circle, with the taller Clarke positioning herself behind Broad.
While the change forced the Giants to make extra passes to create chances, slowing their scoring rate, Campbells Creek also noticeably improved their ball movement and offensive rebounding in the second term, staying very competitive throughout the period.
Even with the Magpies’ refinements, the Giants slightly extended the margin to 17 goals at half time.
Forced to adapt to Campbells Creek’s defensive gameplan, Broad still excelled, scoring all of her team’s 19 goals in the second period, even making a shot as she was falling out of bounds early in the quarter.
Finning found some shooting touch from long-range in the second quarter, netting 11 goals while Jones continued to be an inside presence with her shooting and rebounding, scoring five.
At the start of the second half, Saunder swapped positions with Egbers, creating a strong defensive pairing alongside Riahni Egan which grabbed multiple intercepts, allowing the Giants to put the game out of reach at three-quarter time with a 26-goal lead.
Broad remained a force to be reckoned with even after the main break, converting 18 goals with only one miss while new shooting partner Egbers added two.
When entry passes weren’t intercepted by Saunder or Egan, Finning and Jones were very clinical in the third period, combining to score 11 goals from 14 attempts.
Despite putting the game away, the Giants showed no remorse in the final quarter, scoring 24 goals in the last 15 minutes to cap off a strong 38-goal win.
After netting 21 goals in the fourth period, Broad ended up with 74 goals, her second-highest game total this season, at an astonishing shooting percentage of 91 percent. Egbers completed her shooting cameo with three goals.
Jones finished strongly in her return for the Magpies, scoring nine of her 25 goals in the final quarter while Finning went a perfect three for three.