Sport
19 August, 2025
Maryborough Giants finish in top four thanks to victory over Natte Bealiba
In arguably their biggest win in their short history, the Maryborough Giants have knocked off league heavyweight Natte Bealiba, securing a double chance in the upcoming finals series.
The Giants will now prepare to try and trump that result in this weekend’s qualifying final against Avoca, looking to earn their first A grade finals win after going out in straight sets last season.
With Natte’s 1000 goal scorer Emma Ryan and the Giants’ teenage sensation Lacey Broad sitting first and second in the MCDFNL goal scoring charts, this contest looked set to be an exciting high-scoring affair on paper.
That became less certain when both teams were forced to make alterations to their attacking lineup following their wins last week.
With stalwart Shannae Mills forced out due to injury, the Swans called up Ashlee McClelland, who, alongside Ella Tranter, helped Natte storm out to a six-goal lead by quarter time thanks to some brilliant entry passes to Ryan.
The superstar shooter capitalised by netting all 17 of her team’s goals in the first term with only four misses.
While the Giants’ starting shooters, Broad and Ruby Saunder, had some early struggles, new addition Abbey Devereaux continued her exceptional form in B grade this season into the higher level, making her first two shots.
With Devereaux’s strong start, the Giants felt compelled to keep her in the game, allowing Saunder to move into defence alongside Riahni Egan.
Saunder made an instant impact in the defensive third, as her intercepts coupled with an effective midcourt shakeup allowed the Giants to halve the deficit to three at the main break.
After Natte defender Bella Westbrook got the better of her in the first quarter, Broad rebounded quickly with 11 second-quarter goals, assisted by Devereaux, who added three.
Ryan remained the Swans’ only source of scoring in the first half with 11 goals in the second quarter.
Looking to replicate the formula that earned them their round five win over the Giants earlier in the season, the Swans began the second half on top, hoping to take a comfortable advantage into the last quarter.
The Giants had other ideas, with their defence hell-bent on limiting Ryan’s chances, the Giants continued to claw back and eventually entered three-quarter time with the lead, up 38-37.
After last week’s heroics against Talbot, Natte defender Ellie Martin was at it again, breaking up several lob passes intended for Broad. Unfortunately for her and the Swans, many of her tips were recovered by the Giants.
That allowed Broad to remain effective with 10 goals while Devereaux scored three.
Even with Ebony Raven moving into goal attack for McClelland midway through the third, shooting duties were still solely on Ryan, who converted nine of her 12 shots.
Working their way to the precipice of a double chance sealing victory, the Giants started the fourth quarter on fire, scoring eight of the first 11 goals in the fourth quarter to build a six-goal buffer.
Not intent on simply fading away, Natte quickly brought the margin down to four before another crucial intercept from Saunder reset the Swans’ deficit back to six.
Natte made a hard surge late, but Saunder was there once again in the clutch, with her intercept and loose ball retrieval sealing the result for the Giants.
Broad stepped up her scoring when her team needed it most, netting 16 shots to finish the match with 42 goals.
Devereaux ended the game with nine goals while Saunder scored four in the first quarter before changing the game with her defensive play.
The Swans had to wait until the fourth quarter for their second goalscorer in McClelland, but her one goal, plus helping Ryan score 13 in the fourth, wasn’t enough for the win.
Thanks to Avoca’s victory over Harcourt, their second loss of the season doesn’t change their week one opponent, set to meet Carisbrook in a qualifying final.