Sport
5 September, 2022
Natte take another step on path to grand final entry
NATTE BEALIBA (53) def MALDON (31) Natte Bealiba have made the most of their second chance, defeating Maldon in a professional performance which sees them move into a juicy preliminary final clash with Avoca. While Maldon would score the opening...
NATTE BEALIBA (53) def MALDON (31)
Natte Bealiba have made the most of their second chance, defeating Maldon in a professional performance which sees them move into a juicy preliminary final clash with Avoca.
While Maldon would score the opening three goals of the contest, Natte were able to take control afterwards, winning every quarter comfortably in their 22-goal victory.
Thirteen goals to eight in the opening quarter, with star goalshooter Melissa Oliver firing up early on with 11 goals, ensured the Swans would lead at quarter time by five goals, and they did not let up in the second.
The Swans were using Oliver’s height to their advantage, helping her score 12 of their 13 goals in the second quarter, while restricting Maldon to just 11 shots for five goals, allowing them to take a 26-13 lead into the main break.
The third quarter was much of the same. The Swans were able to nullify many Maldon attacks, with Naomi Medlyn reading all of the Bombers’ play to her advantage. Fourteen goals to seven allowed them to take a commanding 40-20 lead at the final break.
Maldon were able to finish off the game — and their season — with their best quarter, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Swans from winning the last quarter, scoring 13 goals to 11 to eventually run out 53-31 winners.
Oliver scored 46 goals from 53 shots, while coach Sue Borserio was also pleased to be able to get young players Chloe Ross and Ellie Martin a look at finals netball in the final quarter.
Borserio says this is part of the “whole squad approach” that she’s taking for the team in the finals series, ensuring they are able to adjust where necessary.
“We’re using a whole squad approach. This week, we chose from our squad of 16 girls for A and B grade, choosing differently from last week. Every week, it has been a different team and that’s been the case for the last six weeks, but we’ll continue to pick based off the best match-ups,” she said.
“It’s definitely about the squad mentality. We haven’t really done that before. Someone like Sharelle Martin, who has been playing in B grade, has been playing well, and she came up and played in A grade today, and did a really great job. We have others who are ready to rock and roll. Jess White is another one, leading goaler in B grade all year, Sian Mortlock is another fantastic up-and-coming player.
“If opportunities are there, they’ll be among those I’ll call up. They’re always ready to go — they train together and play with each other every week, and they know what is expected. They understand, on the day, it might not be their day, but we can call someone to give it a crack if needed.”
Borserio was pleased with the way the Swans played, able to control the game from the outset.
“All the clubs have their own style of play. We have our own style across our senior grades, and I thought the players really implemented their strategies really well today,” she said.
With the Swans playing across both Saturday and Sunday in their preliminary finals next week in most grades, Borserio says there’s a lot of planning to be done ahead of their game against the unbeaten Avoca — a challenge Borserio is looking forward to.
“We’ve still got to work out who is available next week, with it being over both days for our club, we are trying to figure out what to do,” she said.
“Avoca — credit to them. They’ve been the pinnacle of the league for a very long time, and we’ll give it our best shot. If it’s good enough, we’ll win, if not, then so be it. They finished top and deserved to be there.”
That game between the Swans and the Bulldogs will decide the first spot in the grand final next Saturday afternoon, with their sole meeting in 2022 seeing the Dogs inflict the Swans’ only loss of the home and away season by nine goals.
