Sport
26 May, 2026
Navarre secures vital 17-goal victory over fellow finals contenders Talbot
In a meeting that had all the elements of a pivotal encounter, Navarre further cemented itself as a menacing premiership contender by conquering last season’s runner-up, Talbot, 63-46.
With an 11-goal half time lead at their disposal, the Grasshoppers managed to keep the fightful Hawks at bay throughout the hotly contested affair.
The statement victory has Navarre placed comfortably in third with a 6-1 record ahead of their fascinating fixture with Dunolly, while simultaneously extending Talbot’s tailspin.
Despite boasting a healthy percentage, the Hawks are currently 12 points adrift of the top four as a brutal run of matches against Carisbrook, Lexton, Avoca and Navarre has resulted in four straight defeats.
It’s a vicious cycle they were determined to end at Navarre Sports Complex on Saturday, boosted by the return of Portia Hughes, who hadn’t played since their round two victory over Campbells Creek.
The Grasshoppers also made some changes following their most recent match, which coincidentally came against the Magpies, with MCDFNL 17 and under representative Chloe Cassidy and Sophie Flood brought in for Grace Long and Saieh Summerfield.
Despite the Grasshoppers seizing early control of the contest, Talbot’s defence was holding the fort, with Maddy Williams and Jane Dikini doing an excellent job absorbing the hosts' early pressure.
Just as the Hawks had seemingly stabilised the momentum, Navarre began to break away, routinely turning unfinished Talbot attacks into scoring chances with their instantaneous transition.
With Sidney Dyer, Amber Perry and Brooke Currie running the show in the midcourt, minor cracks eventually began to show in Talbot’s defensive armour, allowing shooters Zanaiya Bergen and Aliza Lockhart to find themselves in a groove as the term continued.
By the end of the first quarter, Navarre had created a noticeable yet catchable six-goal gap on the visitors, but the Hawks knew they needed to grasp control quickly before that margin became unassailable.
The introduction of Hughes at wing defence alongside the tireless Loren Aquilina did provide a boost to Talbot’s defensive structure, but the Grasshoppers became even more potent in slowing opposing advances during the second quarter.
With Cassidy and Jade Allen sharing time at goal defence alongside former back-to-back Nalder Tracey Trophy winner Jess Parry, Navarre limited Talbot to 10 goals in the second quarter as the margin increased to double digits by half time.
Starting the second half with their backs against the wall, the Hawks began to solve the conundrum of the Grasshoppers’ elite defense.
With stints at goal attack and centre during the third quarter, Aquilina was linking well with wing attack Tina Wardlaw and superstar shooter Elenoa Costello.
Even with their frugal offence, Talbot’s deficit only grew throughout the term. The quartet of Dyer, Currie, Lockhart and Bergen was producing a symphony of offence that resulted in Navarre tallying another 18 goals during the third period.
With a 14-goal three-quarter time lead, the Grasshoppers successfully navigated a low-scoring final term to complete a decisive victory.
Lockhart and Bergen exhibited the invaluable impact they’ve made on Navarre’s attack, finishing with 32 and 31 goals respectively in another brilliant performance from the duo.
Costello matched Lockhart and Bergen’s pace, top-scoring for the visitors with 31 goals from just 37 attempts. Jess White showed improved shooting accuracy on her way to netting seven, while Aquilina added two.