Sport
6 June, 2024
Looking back at the 2024 season so far
With the King’s Birthday bye coming up for the Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League and Ballarat Football League Women’s, now seems to be the best time to look back on how our football and netball clubs have gone throughout...
With the King’s Birthday bye coming up for the Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League and Ballarat Football League Women’s, now seems to be the best time to look back on how our football and netball clubs have gone throughout the season up to this point.
Bendigo Football Netball League
Maryborough
Football: 0-6, percentage of 16, 9th
Netball: 4-1-1, percentage 105.4, 4th
What’s gone right: The little wins have to be looked at by Maryborough at this stage. It’s been a very tough run for the club, dropping back to A reserve for the season in netball, and struggling on the football field.
On the netball court, the Magpies are performing extremely well, with four wins and a draw from six games in A reserve. The young midcourt, which includes Tali Chadwick and Millie Cassidy, is humming, and Ella Patten is a superstar of the future in the defensive third.
On the field, Tom Myers has established himself as a dominant ruck prospect, jumping over opponents on a weekly basis, while Coby Perry has led superbly from the front.
Ballarat Football League Women's
Carisbrook
Seniors: 1-6, percentage of 17, 6th
Under 16s: 0-7, percentage of 12, 8th
What’s gone right: It’s been a step forward for the Lady Redbacks under the tutelage of Steve Atkinson and Matthew Johns, with plenty of competitive performances.
They have steadily reduced the losing margins to the likes of East Point and Lake Wendouree, and took a superb victory over Bacchus Marsh to open their account for the season.
Anika Munn has once again led from the front supremely, and will be in the frame for bigger honours, while Grace Brady has been a welcome recruit through the midfield.
Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League
Avoca
Football: 1-7, percentage of 60, 12th
Netball: 8-0, percentage of 189, 1st
What’s gone right: It’s a season where the netball club and football club are at two different places at the moment.
A young football group, led by Zach Lubeek, broke through for their first victory last week against Campbells Creek.
It was a very tough start, with the Bulldogs losing by 138 points in round one, but they have gained competitiveness ever since.
On the netball court, the Bulldogs are firing on all cylinders at the moment, and are again firming for another premiership.
They will have their challengers, with Carisbrook coming within two goals, and Natte Bealiba six, while they have yet to play the other unbeaten team in Maryborough Giants. That will prove to be an interesting litmus test.
Campbells Creek
Football: 0-7, percentage of 20, 13th
Netball: 1-6, percentage of 58, 11th
What’s gone right: the scoreboard doesn’t do justice to Campbells Creek’s improvement at the moment.
It was very hard to quantify where Campbells Creek were at last season, with just one win between the footballers and netballers in 2023.
But there has been clear improvement at the Magpies in both departments this season, with the footballers managing to stay in the game longer with their opponents, and the netballers, aided by the use of a new court, also competitive, taking a victory over Dunolly.
Coaches Matt Manning and Lillie Wrigley have been preaching the importance of togetherness at the club.
The Magpies will be hoping to record a win before the year is out on the football field, while the netballers will look to push towards competing for a spot in the top eight.
Carisbrook
Football: 6-2, percentage of 169, 3rd
Netball: 6-2, percentage of 127, 4th
What’s gone right: It’s a credit to Carisbrook that they have been competing this hard under what’s been a bit of a regeneration period on both the football field and the netball court.
The footballers haven’t been scoring anywhere near the extent that we have been used to under Luke Treacy, but defensively, they have stood up big time this season — an impressive trait when you consider the amount of young guns the club has playing senior football at the moment.
On the court under Emma Rumpff, there has also been plenty of change, but the club has been super competitive with Avoca, losing by just two goals, while being able to put away opponents in the same frame, recording important victories over fifth-placed Lexton and sixth-placed Maldon.
Dunolly
Football: 4-4, percentage of 122, 7th
Netball: 1-7, percentage of 59, 13th
What’s gone right: Dunolly are in an interesting position where they will look to push to be better on the football and netball field.
The footballers started superbly, with four wins in their first five games, but a tougher draw which has seen Bailey Goodwin’s men come up against the in-form Maryborough Giants, Natte Bealiba and Maldon has seen them slip a bit.
Still, the club are competitive enough to bounce back, and will need to defeat Talbot next week to move three games clear of the Hawks inside the top eight.
On the netball court, it’s been a step back for the Eagles after making the finals last season, but it’s also mindful that the club are playing a lot of younger players at the moment. There was a competitive outing with Maldon last week, while the Eagles were able to hold out Harcourt for their only win so far.
Harcourt
Football: 8-0, percentage of 170, 1st
Netball: 1-7, percentage of 71, 12th
What’s gone right: On the football field, the Lions have managed to overcome some fierce challenges to remain unbeaten, as they now have for 35 consecutive games, navigating a great start under new coach Carl Thiesz.
That included a miracle 39-point comeback against Trentham at Trentham — no mean feat — while also surviving against the Giants by eight points and Carisbrook by nine points, with the likes of grand final heroes Cameron Anderson and Jordan Gartside going to new levels so far this season.
On the netball court, the start of the season was a struggle, but a percentage of 71 suggests they are more than competitive relative to their rivals around them under Jess Chaplin, and took a terrific win over eighth-placed Navarre last week, and will look to get some continuity ahead of the second half of the season.
Lexton
Football: 5-2, percentage of 99, 5th
Netball: 4-3, percentage of 108, 5th
What’s gone right: A fairly consistent Lexton at the moment, as they sit in fifth in both competitions.
On the football field, they seem to have taken a step forward from last season.
Dylan Lewis’ and Dylan Bourke’s Tigers have been the kings of the close finish so far, having had all their games decided by 37 points or less, and their losses have been competitive affairs against Natte Bealiba and Carisbrook.
The netballers, under Leesa Donhardt, have rebounded strongly from consecutive losses to the Giants and Carisbrook to win their last two and move up to fifth.
They are still very much a high-scoring team we have been accustomed to in the recent past, and have started shoring up their defense in recent weeks as well as they look to again challenge for this year’s flag.
Maldon
Football: 4-3, percentage of 148, 6th
Netball: 3-4, percentage of 98, 6th
What’s gone right: The Dons have been very competitive in all facets of both sports to sit in sixth, looming as a smokey for opposition clubs throughout the second half of the season.
The Dons, under Damien Lock, have been one of the best scoring teams in the senior football competition so far this season, sitting fourth on that metric, and have recorded some big wins to have one of the best percentages in the competition.
After starting 0-2 with close losses against Lexton and Carisbrook, the Dons have won four of their last five, and will look to continue pushing for a top four spot.
On the court, the Dons, under Katie Tong and Ash Alford have been one of the big improvers of the season so far, and are unlucky not to claim a couple more scalps, with competitive outings against Lexton and Carisbrook resulting in close losses.
The Dons seem to be a legitimate contender for a finals spot, however, and will hope to prove it on resumption from the break against Avoca.
Maryborough Giants
Football: 3-5, percentage of 81, 8th
Netball: 8-0, percentage of 184, 2nd
What’s gone right: Here they come. The Giants have made some significant statements, particularly over the last three weeks, as they show they are anything but pushovers in the wake of years of struggle between Royal Park and the Maryborough Rovers.
A superb duo of wins over Carisbrook has clearly been the highlight so far for Damien Cupido and Annalyse Carroll’s teams.
On the football field, the Giants have also been super competitive against the likes of Lexton and Harcourt, with their one big loss coming when they fielded a very inexperienced lineup against Maldon.
The netballers are taking all before them at this stage, with big statements made against the likes of the Redbacks and Lexton, and will be hoping to make another big impression in their first meeting against Natte Bealiba after the bye.
Natte Bealiba
Football: 7-0, percentage of 265, 2nd
Netball: 6-1, percentage of 203, 3rd
What’s gone right: Just about everything has gone right for the Swans so far.
The footballers, based purely off the eye test, have probably been the best team of the season so far, playing a brand of football under Trent Mortlock which has allowed many players to hit the scoreboard, and are also defending resolutely.
There are still tough tests to come — they have yet to play Harcourt or Carisbrook, but they navigated their first big test agains Trentham with aplomb last week.
On the court, Emma Ryan’s charges are back into contention after a first round loss to Avoca, and are currently enjoying the best defensive unit in the competition, as well as the best percentage.
The Swans have conceded 62 goals in their last three games, while scoring 222 in the same timeframe.
Navarre
Football: 2-5, percentage of 62, 10th
Netball: 3-4, percentage of 81, 8th
What’s gone right: It’s clearly a very different Navarre this season on the football field, with many of their great players from the mid-2010s departing over the off-season, and regenerating with a younger list.
The Hoppers, under Jack Jess scored a first-up win over Campbells Creek, then went winless until last week, with a victory over Avoca.
On the netball court, the Hoppers have been a lot more competitive, but Paula Bigmore and Brad Cassidy’s group have started to tail off in recent weeks, and will be looking to keep their spot in the top eight when the season resumes.
Losses in their last four games has seen them fall to eighth, and their task doesn’t get easier when they play Carisbrook next week.
However, they do have some good defensive structures, and are ranked fourth in the competition at this stage for goals against.
Newstead
Football: 1-6, percentage of 72, 11th
Netball: 3-4, percentage of 76, 9th
What’s gone right: Newstead are still in the frame, but they have been quite luckless in the early stages of the season.
Injuries on the football field, particularly to coaches Joel Smith and Michael Dalrymple, has cruelled their hopes of being able to compete harder than they have so far, but, save for a 62-point loss to Harcourt and a 52-point loss to the Giants, they have been extremely competitive.
On the netball court, it is a better story under Bri Jury, and the Kangaroos are right in the finals race, sitting ninth.
They have had to negotiate a very tricky draw which has seen them play Avoca, Carisbrook, Maldon, Lexton and the Giants, but they have taken a win against the Dons and have largely been competitive.
The Kangaroos can find themselves back in the top eight if they are able to defeat Trentham away from home.
B.A Road Services Talbot Hawks
Football: 2-5, percentage of 72, 9th
Netball: 1-6, percentage of 63, 10th
What’s gone right: Talbot are still very much in the frame in both football and netball competitions, but will need to start stringing together some wins.
The Hawks got off to a good start on the football field, winning their first two games, but five losses in a row — with an admittedly tough draw — has seen Phil Crouch’s men drop out of the eight.
They will need to beat Dunolly next week to avoid a 2-6 start, after which their draw does start to open up a bit, with games against bottom five teams.
The netballers have improved greatly, and are a lot more competitive against the likes of Carisbrook, Lexton and Natte Bealiba.
Under the tutelage of Eleisha Phelps, the Hawks are staying in the contest for a lot longer, and were rewarded with a terrific victory against Harcourt.
Trentham
Football: 5-2, percentage of 202, 4th
Netball: 3-4, percentage of 81, 7th
What’s gone right: Trentham are motoring along, sitting in the top eight in both competitions, and will be looking for more success as they look to break through for some greater post-season success.
The footballers, under Clive Raak, are comfortably the best scoring team in the competition at the moment, scoring almost 100 points more than the next best team in Natte Bealiba, led by leading goalkicker James Regan, who has 40 goals for the season, including a haul of 15 against Campbells Creek.
Although the Saints were unable to get the chocolates against the Swans last week, they were still very competitive, and will look to rebound when it matters most.
Under last season’s best and fairest in Jessica Walker, the Saints have been competitive, but have no doubt missed her influence on the court in games against the best teams in the competition with her Achilles injury.
Before last week’s loss to Natte Bealiba, the Saints were able to record three wins in four games, and will be hoping to continue such form after the break, which will see them play bottom five teams in Newstead and Dunolly.
