By Marcus Uhe
While the grand final rematch drew the attention of the A grade netball audience on Saturday, the remainder of the competition threw up plenty of talking points.
A blistering second half from Wandin saw them run away with the contest against Pakenham, following a tightly-contested first half.
The return of captain Emma Jones from injury saw the Lions hold a one-goal lead after the first quarter and only trailed by two at the long break, having matched Wandin nearly goal-for-goal throughout the opening stages.
Wandin shooter Emmalia Blake was proving a handful for Pakenham star Eliza Molino, but a move from Goal Keeper to Goal Shooter proved an apt tactical decision from the Pakenham coaching staff, as her length at the new position proved disruptive in Blake’s teammates feeding her the ball in the goaling circle.
Pakenham shooter Rose Laidlaw found her spot on the court, nailing a series of shots in a row from long range to ensure the Wandin lead never ballooned.
But the second half saw the Bulldogs prove why they have been riding high at the top of the ladder for most of the season with a dominant 34-16 display, to finish 58-38 winners.
Blake’s 48 goals for Wandin has her maintaining her lead at the top of the league’s goal-scoring tally. For Pakenham, Laidlaw finished with 26.
Upwey Tecoma ensured Berwick’s difficult season continued, losing their third match in a row.
With wins over just the two bottom-ranked sides in Pakenham and Gembrook Cockatoo, it’s been a difficult season for the Wicks, who have struggled to put scores on the board.
While they were able to keep pace during the first half, the Tigers put their foot down in the second to finished 49-38 winners, thanks to 29 goals from captain Jessica Black.
At Monbulk, a consistent four-quarter effort from Mount Evelyn saw them outmatch the Hawks at every turn.
Goal scoring periods of 14-12-12-14 reflected their consistency over the length of the game, despite relying on substitute Rebecca Hincksman for 23 goals.
But in keeping the Hawks to just 31, the Rovers turned in their second-best defensive performance of the season.
The win keeps them in touch with the ‘big three’ on the A grade ladder, in Beaconsfield, Narre Warren and Wandin.
At Beaconsfield, the Eagles were restricted to their second lowest total of the year in their 37-29 win over Gembrook Cockatoo.
