North v East
NORTH Gambier and East Gambier have had some heated clashes over the years, with the past three preliminary finals seeing the sides go head-to-head.
The epic overtime penultimate game in 2015, the tightly contested 2016 preliminary and last season’s shock, a comeback victory for the Bulldogs over the Tigers in the preliminary.
Personnel has changed over these years, but in 2018 the two sides will again be expected to lead the charge of dethroning reigning premiers Millicent.
With the two teams facing off at McDonald Park in the opening round of the Western Border netball season tomorrow, it will be a good taste of what is to come from both clubs this year.
Both sides have lost key players from their roster, as East faces a future without star defender Brenna McKay, who has headed away for tertiary study and North has lost the competition’s premier wing defender of the last few seasons, with Mel Renko not playing due to pregnancy.
However, there is some good news for North supporters, as it has picked up some handy replacements.
South Gambier’s Jordyn Adams looms as a straight swap into wing defence and the Tigers’ midcourt, as well as providing quality back-up for circle defence.
Ash Kalantarian has also been named in the top squad, bringing her athleticism and creativity to the Tigers’ offence, following a season off.
Promising junior Emily Close should also see some A Grade action at some stage this season and will bring pace and tenacity to the side.
The Tigers will go into Round 1 as the favourites, with plenty of depth and quality.
For the Bulldogs, who will look to maintain their quality shooting combination of Sarah Lock and Tenille Gray, with Tarsh McCallum still patrolling the midcourt, will have some re-configuring to do.
Co-coach Bo Creek will anchor the defensive end, working alongside Tyne Bosko and Morgan Amy, who might have to forfeit her move to the offensive wing late last season to strengthen the defence.
Sara Smith will also be out to build on her brief time on court last season.
These players will need to be in fine form, with North’s Caroline Davey still under the post in the key shooting role and Amanda O’Shaughnessy running hard both ways in the midcourt.
Add to the revelation of Kaitlin Smith on the offensive wing and Ellie Gould, who continued to grow in the goal attack role across 2017 and the new look East defence will have its share of headaches.
At the other end, the quality of McCallum, Gray and Smith will always keep the Bulldogs in the hunt, but if Adams brings her height and intercepting ability to the defensive wing and Lisa Fyfe and
Maddie Whaites bring their stifling 2017 form in the defensive circle, then scoring will not be easy for East.
Last year, the Bulldogs struggled early, before gradually building to play their best netball when it counts in finals.
So even if the match unfolds with the expected comfortable win for the Tigers, no one will be writing out the 2016 and 2017 runners-up just yet.
Millicent v South
MILLICENT netballers are set to claim their first win of the 2018 Western Border season when they host South Gambier on Saturday in the opening round.
South Gambier has suffered massive player losses in 2018, after a difficult 2017 and given they are all at the defensive end, having to front up to take on the reigning premiers on their home court, must seem like some kind of cruel joke for coach Lauren Duncan and her young team.
Alannah Campbell is gone, Alyce Mourbey is pregnant and Jordyn Adam now calls Vansittart park home, meaning the 2018 defensive line will boast Alyssa Boylan, who has returned to Blue Lake Sports Park after a season at the Bay and Zoe Duncan, the always tenacious and hardworking Demon, who is headed into her third full season of A Grade.
That duo will need time to develop a chemistry and understanding essential to place maximum defensive pressure on opposition forward lines.
They are a tight checking but under-sized circle defensive combination and having to test themselves against the premiership combination, which has lost Keah Lynch from the shooting circle, but adds new coach Demi Verbena, as well as possibly Paige Nitschke.
Given Donna Denton is still holding court in the shooting circle, it will be a tough day at the office and the other five players will need to put plenty of pressure on to try and slow the trademark quick and precise ball movement.
Audine Bryant has hung up the sandshoes and that automatically helps opposition teams.
This round sees new wing defender Tori McIntyre, who is a talent on the rise, but is in a new role and making her A Grade debut.
Her athleticism and pressure on the feed will be important, but it will take the teenager some time to find her feet on the defensive wing, arguably the hardest position to master on court, as well as adjust to life in the competition’s top grade.
At the other end, Tilah Buckingham and Imogen Walker will again take the shooting roles and taking on Kimmi Varcoe and Hayley Dunn is never an easy challenge.
Madi Turner remains on the defensive wing, after a strong finals series in 2017 and Georgia Hood, who has earned a call up to the top grade and brings creativity to the feeding role, will take on Turner, who wears opponents down and has become an integral cog in the Saints defensive mechanism, alongside the always hard working Lisa Duldig, who will again be the centrepiece of the mid court.
Millicent will win and win well and probably use the opportunity to look at some of the juniors in line for a senior call up, including Hannah Nitschke and Lucy Denton.
West v Casterton Sandford
WITH West Gambier set to host Casterton Sandford at Malseed Park in the opening round of the 2018 Western Border Netball Association season, the Cats will play their first game in the post-Nat Rhook era.
Rhook’s consistency and work rate as a player will be missed, but even more so her leadership on the court and her calmness, regardless of the match situation will be a heavy blow to last year’s bottom-placed team.
The Cats are the team with the most new faces this season, so the quality and impact of their new recruits will be where the interest lies in this clash with the Roos.
Ellen Bowman returns to sure up the defensive stocks and mid-court grunt, while Abbey Shannon always makes her opponent work for every possession.
At the other end, Tori Perry and Madalene Cleary remain, as does Gaby Tomkins, who runs as hard as any mid-courter in the competition.
However, it will be expected to take some for the new look side to settle, as it looks to build some combinations that can challenge the other five clubs.
Interest will also be on West this week, particularly Tantanoola recruit Jess Bell.
As a smart, hard-working centre, Bell will certainly find Tomkins a challenge, but she is all class and the Roos will look forward to the impact she has, especially as they now face a future without stalwart Carly Trevilyan.
Maddy Teakle returns to the A Grade ranks for West, renewing her combination with Amy Cram.
When the duo last worked together in 2016, they were a tough defensive nut to crack and Teakle’s tight checking and work over the shot will make life tough for Cleary and Perry.
Any side that still boasts Lisa McGregor is always going to be in the mix and her battle with Shannon will be pivotal in the match and a treat for spectators.
If she can garner some strong support from Tahlia Earl, who has shown in the past she is strong on the hold and has precision timing on the move, then West could see itself in good form for 2018.
West should easily take the points, as the Cats will be learning the ropes with their new players and new coach Tracie Layley.
