By Russell Bennett
WEST GIPPSLAND FOOTBALL NETBALL COMPETITION
REVIEW – ROUND 3
One thousand, three hundred and forty four days.
That’s how long it had been between wins for the Garfield A Grade netball side, but on Saturday at Bass the breakthrough victory came via a nine-goal win over the home side, 33-24.
This season marks a changing of the guard in a lot of ways for the Stars – a netballing outfit that had been smashed from pillar to post for longer than many would remember.
But the mindset has changed now – a new era of positivity and encouragement has been ushered in.
Prior to Saturday against Kilcunda Bass, the Stars’ A Grade side last tasted victory in Round 19, 2014 – an eight-goal win over Cora Lynn in the Ellinbank and District Netball Association’s now defunct West division. That was 56 scheduled games ago.
Meg Bogart, a committee member and B Grade player at the Stars, acknowledged the difficulties her club had faced in recent times.
“The past couple of years have been pretty difficult – trying to build the club from the ground up,” she said.
“Last year we focussed on getting as many players to the club as possible, and this year we’ve got some really experienced coaches and we’re building our skillset.
“We’re really fortunate to have some girls who have a lot of on-court experience, and we owe everything to the coaches.”
Bogart said this season was, in part, about opposing sides not seeing the Stars as such easy-beats or walkovers anymore.
“We’ve all gone into this season much more confident than past couple of seasons,” she said.
“The culture of the club has improved so much.”
While the Stars last year struggled to field three teams, this season they’ve got benches and rosters to manage.
This year, an influx of juniors has even meant that some players have had to slot into mid-week fixtures instead.
Again, that in itself is a massive turning point for a club that had been down for so long.
There’s a mixture of highly-talented youngsters and particularly experienced older players at the club, and it seems to be gelling superbly.
Bogart put much of the positivity surrounding the club at the moment down to coach Amy Heath, saying “she has just brought such a positive vibe” to the Stars.
Along with Heath, the likes of Tanita Bow and Danni-Elle Llinares have particularly impressed so far this season in A Grade, while the B Grade side is impeccably led by senior player Kristie Miller. While Erin Polson is sidelined with an ACL injury, she’s providing plenty of feedback and support from the sidelines. Key defender Simone O’Brien is also having a massively positive impact.
“Off the court – we want to get the girls far more involved for the social events for the year and make sure everyone is showing their faces,” Bogart said.
“We’re really big on positivity this year and making everyone feel welcome at the club.”
In other A Grade action across the weekend, Garfield’s biggest neighbouring rival Bunyip remains one of just two undefeated teams – along with Dalyston – through the first three rounds after a five-goal win over Nar Nar Goon at Spencer Street, 48-43. Phillip Island outlasted Korumburra-Bena at Cowes 48-33, the Magpies defeated the Sea Eagles at Inverloch, 45-35, and Kooweerup – led by the likes of Kate Murphy and Mariah Bell – was far too strong for Cora Lynn, 68-29.
