Sport
5 August, 2025
Newstead in, Trentham out of MCDFNL finals race
The eight teams who will battle for the 2025 MCDFNL netball premiership have officially been decided after Newstead’s come-from-behind victory over Trentham secured back-to-back finals berths.
The Steaders join already qualified Avoca, Natte Bealiba, Carisbrook, Maryborough Giants, Talbot, Lexton and Navarre as the last team to punch their finals ticket with two games left in the home and away season.
Despite a remarkable mid-season turnaround, the Saints will be forced to watch from the sidelines once again, almost certainly repeating their ninth-place finish from last season.
That didn’t look to be the case at the start of Saturday’s crucial battle, as Trentham had the upper hand in the opening stages.
Both teams produced some great interceptions in the first quarter. While Newstead’s Zoe Douglass, Chelsey Williams and Sophie Bond had moments of individual brilliance, superstar defender Jessica Walker was marshalling the Saints’ goal superbly.
The impact of Walker, coupled with shooter Kasey Button scoring all 11 of Trentham’s opening term goals with just 12 attempts, allowed the hosts to enter quarter time with a two-goal lead.
Tayla Gale led Newstead’s scoring with six goals, while teammate Brianna Jury added three to keep the visitors within touching distance.
That distance was expanded to five goals by half time as the Saints’ defensive pressure stifled the Steaders momentum in the second quarter.
With the visitors focused on containing Button after her first-quarter heroics, Ford was given more chances to make an impact. She delivered by converting six of her seven shots for the period, keeping the Saints ahead while Button was held to four goals.
Jury and Gale were struggling to find their usual groove for Newstead, netting four and three respectively in the second term.
That began to change in the third quarter, as some half time switches from the Steaders paid dividends early, allowing Jury and Gale to develop their rhythm.
Newstead went aggressive to begin the second half, swapping their defensive matchups and moving midcourt maestro Jessica Currie to wing defence and Katie Tong to centre, giving the Steaders a very attacking midcourt.
Newstead’s revamped midcourt overran Trentham in the third term, allowing Gale and Jury to score seven goals each and flipping the match into their favour, up by two with one quarter left to play.
Attempting to stem the bleeding, the Saints moved Hayley Bourke into goal attack for Ford, who scored one for the quarter. Bourke played well in her new role, matching Button with three goals for the period.
With their finals aspirations on the line, Trentham threw caution to the wind in the fourth term, with midcourters Brooke Healy and Carly Elderfield trying everything to break Newstead’s defence down regularly.
After a tense, back-and-forth 15 minutes of netball, it was the Steaders who were left standing, holding on to their two-goal lead and denying the Saints of a finals berth for a second straight season.
Under immense pressure, Gale held her nerve for Newstead in crunch time, registering five massive goals in the final period while Jury supported with four of her own.
Button and Ford tried their best for the hosts, but their combined nine goals weren’t enough to keep the Saints’ finals dreams alive for another week.