By Jonty Ralphsmith
The Outer East netball grand finals lived up to expectation with B, C and D grade all producing close finishes, including an epic comeback.
Recap the thrills and spills below.
B GRADE
ROC 45 defeated Narre Warren 41
Best on Court: Sidney Kneebone (ROC).
ROC pulled off a comeback to behold in the B Grade OEFN grand final, overcoming a 13-goal half-time deficit to defeat Narre Warren 45-41.
Entering the game as underdogs – having finished two-and-a-half games behind the Magpies on the ladder and going down in the second semi-final – Narre appeared to have one hand on the cup at the main break.
But having surrendered an 11-goal three-quarter-time lead to ROC during the season, the Magpies would have been aware the match was far from over.
The grand final was a clear case of déjà vu.
Coach Nicole Robbins rung the changes, with skipper Sidney Kneebone brought in at goal attack for Sarah Smith and Mitzi Henry replacing Abby Meinecke at goal defence.
The new dynamic worked well for the Roos, with a fast-finish to the third quarter trimming the margin to just four goals.
“I spoke to the girls at half time and said ‘let’s start the game again’,” Robbins said.
“We’re going to forget the first half ever happened and we’re going to just chip away at that lead and have a respectable finish to this game.
“We’ve got 30 minutes to do it – let’s go!’
“Halfway through the third quarter we still couldn’t get them back.
“We got (the margin) to about 10 and they got a couple more back on us, so we couldn’t reduce it.
“Then all of a sudden in the last five minutes of the third quarter, the girls kicked into gear and shot eight goals in a row, which then (meant) we only went into three-quarter-time four goals down.
“From that, I knew we would be able to do it, because they’ve done it before.”
After shooting just 17 goals across the first half, ROC sunk 15 goals in the third quarter, with Courtney Davey and Kneebone working excellently in tandem, the latter lighting a fuse for her team.
The momentum carried into the fourth quarter, which ROC won 13-5 to secure a memorable comeback.
Davey scored 27 goals but Kneebone was awarded best-on-court for a performance which changed the course of the match.
It was a premiership of redemption for ROC, which has maintained a stable core for the last five years that has been defeated in the 2019, 2022 and 2023 grand finals.
Davey, Smith, centre Amy Jones and wing attack Jessica Postregna are acclimatised to September heartbreak.
They’re now acquainted with the feeling of premiership ecstasy.
C GRADE
Narre Warren defeated Wandin 40-39
Best on Court: Dorothy Maepu (Narre Warren)
Narre Warren has saluted in the OEFN C Grade netball grand final, holding off a fast-finishing Wandin to win a heart-stopper 40-39.
A big start from goal shooter Alyssa Hunter allowed Narre to keep up with Wandin, who were up for the fight, led by centre Marlee Smart.
Goal attack Kealeigh Brown was moved into the centre for the third quarter, in a direct swap with Taylah Lonza, with their potency well complemented by wings Emily Galway and Tayla Entwistle as they took a four-goal advantage into the last quarter.
It proved too much to overcome despite Cassidy Iedema and Bianca Zoric combining for 11 goals.
It was a well-deserved premiership for the Magpies, who finished a game clear on top of the table and progressed straight through to the grand final with a second semi-final victory.
D GRADE
ROC 29 defeated Narre Warren 28
Best on Court: Rachel Ward (ROC)
A Dorothy George match-winner in the dying stages lifted ROC to a 29-28 victory over Narre Warren in an OEFNC D Grade grand final for the ages.
The goal scorer has had a strong season, averaging 18 goals per game and came up clutch when her team needed her most.
The teams went goal for goal for much of the first half, before ROC broke away in the third quarter, opening up a four goal lead at three-quarter time.
Narre Warren, however, pressed hard late, led by competition-leading goal scorer Savannah Stodal whose reach and accuracy came to the fore.
But ROC was ultimately able to come out on top despite having to do it the long way, losing the second semi to Narre Warren 38-30, forcing it into a do-or-die preliminary final against Pakenham.
While ROC won that comprehensively, the Magpies’ freshness almost proved decisive, before George’s late goal ensured her team’s ladder-leading 16-1-1 record would be validated with a flag.
While George seized the moment late in the game, fellow attacker Rachel Ward was awarded best on court, supporting George well at goal attack with her offensive drive influential.
Defenders Grace Rogerson and Tara Walker also played a huge role in keeping the highest scoring team in the league to just 18 goals in the first three quarters.
