Sport
17 July, 2026
MCDFNL Round 14 Netball Preview — Carisbrook vs Trentham
Ahead of their round 15 blockbuster with Natte Bealiba, Carisbrook would like to effectively secure their top four spot with a victory over a Trentham team desperate to cement their finals pace.
Both teams enter Saturday’s clash at Carisbrook Recreation Reserve looking to rally following a decisive defeat to Navarre in their last outing.
Despite being noticeably weakened without the services of Laura Hurse, Lauren Jones and Chloe Egan, the Redbacks confronted the Grasshoppers throughout a gripping first half with veteran Sherriden Byrne stepping up in defence while Katie Bilton and Jordan Macilwain powered Carisbrook’s attack.
However, a late first-half scoring spree was the catalyst for the Grasshoppers to accelerate away in the second half.
Unfortunately for Trentham, they were unable to put up a similar fight the following week in their 64-18 defeat to Navarre, placing them on the cusp of the top eight.
While the Saints possess a valuable four-point gap between themselves and teams chasing their finals spot, competitive showings against top contenders Carisbrook and Natte Bealiba would not only preserve their percentage advantage, but also instil some confidence as they attempt to complete their finals push.
In their last meeting with the Redbacks, Trentham were within touching distance of a major season-starting upset, trailing by five goals at three-quarter time in a weather-affected round one encounter.
The sharpshooting tandem of Macilwain and Abbey Nalder dashed the Saints’ aspirations with a 15-goal fourth quarter that clinched Carisbrook’s 40-25 win.