Matt Hewson
Newtown & Chilwell maintained a four-point advantage atop the Geelong Netball League ladder ahead of rivals Colac and St Albans after defeating Geelong West Giants by 30 goals on Saturday.
The Eagles took the lead early in the match, leading by 17 goals to eight at quarter time and never relinquished their scoreboard dominance, eventually triumphing 70-40 by the final whistle.
Eagles coach Jason Woolley said despite the one-sided scoreline the match was hard-fought from beginning to end.
“To be honest, it was one of those games where though we were in a good spot on the scoreboard, the contest itself was still quite tough,” he said.
“They’ve got really good players, the Leader sisters, Alahria Smith and the like, and they definitely put up a good fight in general play. The margin didn’t reflect how tough the game felt.”
Newtown & Chilwell star goal shooter Uneeq Palavi was away on national duties for Tonga but Zanna Woods proved to be an excellent replacement in the key position, shooting 46 goals and earning her coach’s vote for best on court.
Goal attack Julia Woolley was also instrumental up front for the Eagles’, scoring 24 goals of her own, while midcourters Danielle Mathers and Vanessa Augustini provided constant supply to the offensive duo.
“Zanna and Julia were both really good in the circle, they converted our chances well,” Woolley said.
“Zanna scored a lot through her movement and combinations. You see a lot of teams that have the big, tall shooter, whereas we rely on the moving circle.
“It’s a bit harder to defend with the low ball coming through. Zanna connected really well, not only finishing her opportunities but also linking up with Julia, Danni and Vanessa.”
The win was an important one given how tight the top of the ladder is at this stage of the season, even more so given the Eagles will face third-placed St Albans this week in a blockbuster at Elderslie Reserve.
Newtown & Chilwell suffered its only loss of the season to St Albans in round four, going down 73-63 in a fiercely contested match and Woolley said his players were keen to balance the scales.
“After losing to St Albans earlier in the year the girls are pretty keen to get back out there and play them again,” he said.
“And the ladder is so tight, one loss can really have a significant impact on where you finish, particularly this late in the season. So it’s a very important game for us this weekend.”
Palavi remains unavailable this week, and Woolley said his attackers would need to replicate their ability to convert chances to beat St Albans.
“When they beat us we put up a high score ourselves, you score 63 and most weeks you’ll take the game,” he said.
“It just means we need to tighten up a little bit defensively and make the most of our opportunities.”
