By Marcus Uhe
Narre Warren’s undefeated streak has come unstuck to a familiar foe once again in the Outer East Football Netball A Grade netball competition.
Mt Evelyn was one of only two sides to clip the Magpies’ wings in 2023, and broke four-game and nine-game winning streaks, respectively, in doing so.
On Saturday, it was a run of eight wins to open the season that came to a crashing halt at the hands of the Rovers, in a 51-44 result in Mt Evelyn.
It was the second term where the hosts made their move, outsourcing the defending champions 14-8 to take an eight-goal lead into the long break, never looking back.
The Magpies were stronger out of the gate after half time and cut the lead to six midway through the quarter before six unanswered goals from the Rovers grew the margin to the widest of the afternoon, at 12.
Erin Bell’s absence for the Magpies was keenly felt as they were kept to their equal-lowest score of the season thus far, after Wandin also kept the defending champions to 44 goals back in round three.
Grace Ioelu scored 27 and Piuti Laban 13 goals in Bell’s absence.
Keeping the Magpies in the 40s appears to be the key to knocking them off; while Wandin was unsuccessful earlier in the season in the aforementioned contest, the Magpies scored 42, 42 and 41 in their three home-and-away losses last season, and have dropped the second contest where they’ve been kept below 50 in 2024.
Led by Kaitlyn Black, Mt Evelyn’s defensive capabilities has made it a perennial contender in recent seasons – only Narre Warren has conceded less goals through the opening nine weeks of this season – and they appear to have a magic formula to get past the Magpies, despite Narre Warren getting the better of them in a tense preliminary final last season at Yarra Junction.
The loss sees the Magpies now equal on points with Wandin and just two clear of the Rovers in third, who have not lost since round one.
Wandin was far too strong for Olinda Ferny Creek, with a 20-7 third term helping the Bulldogs to a 62-34 result at home.
Emerald and Pakenham lead the pack of the next tier below the top three after both secured comfortable round nine wins to remain tied on 24 points.
The Bombers made light work of Berwick Springs in a 84-18 thrashing led by Kaylah Loulanting’s 42 goals, and Pakenham kept Woori Yallock to just 20 goals in a 56-20 win on the road.
Prior to Saturday, Woori Yallock averaged 47 goals per game, but were kept in-check by the Lions’ all afternoon.
Eliza Molino returned to the lineup for just the fourth time this year to partner with captain Caitlin Cooke in the opposition goal circle, forming a formidable defensive duo.
ROC’s up-and-down form has continued, meanwhile, riddled in a pattern of inconsistency.
Saturday’s loss to Monbulk made it a fourth week of contrasting results, unable to penetrate the top six.
The Kangaroos are yet to defeat a side above them on the table at the end of round nine, and sees them in eighth place as a result.
Monbulk accelerated in the second quarter with a 16-11 goal term and scored double-figures in every quarter in the 58-43 result.
ROC had no answer for the towering Peri Reid, who nailed 42 goals for the Hawks.
Isabella O’Shanassy added 19 for ROC and Chloe Bell 13, with Bella Heppell and Amelie Mucic among their best.
Gembrook Cockatoo has slumped to seven losses in a row, having surrendered a promising start to its contest with Upwey Tecoma at home.
The Brookers held a seven-goal lead during the second term at 14-7 but was outscored 15-37 from that point onwards in a 29-44 loss.
Alexix Bell and Brylee O’Neil were some of the Brookers’ best.
