Sport
12 June, 2026
MCDFNL Round 9 Netball Preview Carisbrook v Dunolly
Expected to be one of the more compelling games in a fascinating round of A grade netball, Dunolly will attempt to replicate their breakthrough upset over Lexton against another highly-touted team in Carisbrook.
Since that memorable victory over the Tigers, Dunolly has faced Avoca and Navarre, two challenging matchups for a team trying to prove its top eight credentials.
While lightning didn’t strike twice for the Eagles against the Bulldogs or Grasshoppers, they showed encouraging competitiveness against two of the best teams in the competition. The challenge now for Dunolly is to develop consistency while under constant pressure to compete with the league’s elite.
With player-coach Lara Clements, Ashlee Lierich and Mel Schodde providing a valuable veteran presence and a much-improved defence led by Ruby Lang and Teagan Hovey, the Eagles have the tools to match up against Carisbrook, who currently boast a six-game winning streak.
The Redbacks reached that mark with a commanding performance against Talbot, enacting revenge for last season’s preliminary final by completing a home and away season double over the Hawks.
Immediate defensive pressure from Charlotte Cain, Elise Mottram and Finley Wagstaff allowed Jordan McClure and Abbey Nalder to settle into an unstoppable groove, giving Carisbrook a healthy quarter-time lead they never relinquished.
After being held to a combined 81 goals in their first two matches, McClure and Nalder have rapidly redeveloped an excellent shooting touch, scoring over 60 goals in four of their last six games.