By David Nagel
SEFNL – NETBALL
GRAND FINAL REVIEW – A GRADE
Tooradin-Dalmore’s transformation from the ugly duckling to the soaring Seagull of the South East Football Netball League is complete after a commanding 39-32 triumph over Narre Warren in Saturday’s grand final at Holm Park Reserve.
The Seagulls secured their first premiership in 11 years, taking control of the contest in the first half before keeping the Magpies at bay after half time.
The scale of the achievement is quite remarkable really – especially if we wind the clock back just two years to the day. The Magpies won the first of their back-to-back premierships in 2015, while the Seagulls were licking their wounds after a winless season.
Just two years later and how fortunes have changed.
Coach Kelly Andrews signed on with the Seagulls and headed into the unknown, not fully aware of the challenge that confronted her in 2016.
“I went there not knowing what to expect, being winless, was I going to teach girls how to catch, but I was pleasantly surprised when I got there,” a thrilled Andrews said after the big win over the Magpies.
“There was a lot of skill and talent at the club that needed to be nurtured into a team, and that’s all I’ve done.”
Four players from that winless season enjoyed premiership success on Saturday, with Ebony Dolan, Alexandra Duff, Stacey Sawyer and club-stalwart Shona Wells all part of the startling transformation.
Andrews brought in some big guns, with Alex and Jess Maher, Jess Cox, Sara Duncan, Emma Iacovou and Bec Kinna all heading to the nest, but it was the coaching of the locals that most appealed to her.
“That was big for me, I didn’t want to come in and replace the whole team, I wanted to coach and not just bring in the big guns,” she said.
“And I was very picky about the players we brought over, about the personalities and retaining the club culture. It’s a bit of a sisterhood now; we’re really honest with each other, no bullshit, which is great. The players are talented but you don’t win premierships without combining as a team.
“I’m rapt for them, all the hard work the girls have put in really showed out today. The girls put in extra work, and when they train, they train at 100 per cent which can result in injuries, like happened to Sara (Duncan).
“But I’m so glad she got through the game … she was extremely helpful today.”
Andrews was particularly happy for Wells – the 300-gamer playing in her first A Grade premiership after missing 2006 for a friend’s wedding. Andrews said her team-mates owed her something after letting her down in her milestone match against Doveton in Round 16.
“We absolutely stuffed up Shona’s 300th,” Andrews admitted.
“Doveton had it all over us and it was one of those selfish games where we probably tried a little too hard. This makes up for it I think, Shona said to me before that nobody remembers 300 games anyway … just premierships.”
Andrews said there were no secrets to Saturday’s win, just good old fashioned team work.
“Beating your opponent one-on-one, doing the hard stuff, getting to where your defender doesn’t want you to be, and if we turn it over, get three feet hands over the ball, and help the person behind you take a ripper intercept,” Andrews said, before explaining the sacrifice required to be a champion team.
“That’s what is sometimes hard to teach people, to do the unselfish work that you don’t get the glory for,” she said.
“But I notice it and I’ll pat you on the back for it because the little things are so important. In the games we lost, we didn’t do those things well.”
Andrews said defeating a champion team like the Magpies – who were going for three premierships on the trot – made the victory all the more sweeter.
“They’re experienced finals campaigners and always very tough to beat, and there was little bit more incentive to play well against a side that has been there and done it before,” she said.
“We knew if we played our best we could win it, but it’s been a bit confusing with Narre Warren this year. We won, then lost easy, and then beat them pretty comfortably so we knew we had to play our best to get across the line.”
Tooradin Goal Attack Jess Cox won the SEFNL medal for best on court.
GRAND FINAL RESULTS
A GRADE
Tooradin-Dalmore 10 22 30 (39)
Narre Warren 7 15 22 (32)
Best on court: Jess Cox (Tooradin-Dalmore).
B GRADE
Beaconsfield 6 17 27 (41)
Narre Warren 12 23 37 (49)
Best on court: Meaghan McGill (Narre Warren).
C GRADE
Narre Warren 10 18 22 (32)
Beaconsfield 4 13 24 (29)
Best on court: Mikaela Dakic (Beaconsfield).
D GRADE
Narre Warren 9 15 23 (27)
Doveton 10 18 25 (34)
Best on court: Charli Howe (Doveton).
17U RED
Doveton 3 11 18 (30)
Narre Warren 9 15 17 (25)
Best on court: Lesila Seeto (Doveton).
17U WHITE
Beaconsfield 8 15 20 (25)
Narre Warren 6 8 14 (16)
Best on court: Mackenzie Little (Beaconsfield).
15U RED
ROC 4 9 15 (25)
Doveton 5 10 16 (17)
Best on court: Ellie Keen (ROC).
15U WHITE
Cranbourne 3 7 13 (14)
Berwick 6 9 11 (15)
Best on court: Cassie Kirkpatrick (Cranbourne).
13U RED
ROC 11 21 31 (41)
Berwick 5 9 13 (16)
Best on court: Moesha Griffin (ROC).
13U WHITE
Beaconsfield 5 11 21 (25)
ROC 4 9 12 (17)
Best on court: Tayla Ferguson (ROC).
