The Gippsland Storm Elite Development Netball Club’s open squad won the grand final of the Premier division at the Waverley Netball Centre, just before the school break.
Storm had four squads that made the finals, from their seven squads entered in the Autumn season at Waverley. The senior squad went all the way through to the grand final.
Storm’s senior squad finished third on the ladder before the finals. With a couple of weeks of solid team work on court, the Storm girls seemed to refocus which helped them get through to the Grand Final.
During the final, their midcourt was very strong, with fast hard drives to the ball. The attackers had a high percentage return with every entry coming in. But it was in the defensive end for Storm where the game was won. The combination of Allie Oakenfull (goal defence) and Sam Walker (goal keeper) worked a treat with them picking off passes and coming away with game high intercepts and deflections. The team finished with a dominant win against the top side, Blackwood Comets, 51 to 43. The best on court award went to Walker, who had been involved with the squad in a mentoring roll – helping develop the younger players. She is also a former Championship player for Gippsland Storm, and still plays her Saturday netball each weekend with Ellinbank in the EDFL.
Coach Simon O’Shanassy was thrilled with the whole squad’s performance, coming away with a another comprehensive victory.
