By Justin Flynn
Grovedale’s Geelong Netball League A Grade rebuild is starting to show genuine signs of improvement.
After going through last season winless and suffering some horrific losses, the Tigers won their second game of the season on Saturday, defeating St Albans by two goals, and appear headed in the right direction under coach Rachael Randall.
The Tigers have performed well so far against sides that were defeating them by upwards of 60 goals last season and Randall said it would take time for her team to learn how to win.
“We had a six or seven goal lead against Leopold, we were convincingly beating St Mary’s, but have just had pockets of periods where the girls are not used to being in that winning position and so tend to get a little nervous and go into their shells,” she said.
“Which is the next part of the game to develop, is that culture of winning and that mindset of putting teams away and being able to do that for four quarters. We were leading Colac in the first quarter by four or five goals, which is just unheard of from where the Grovedale A Grade has been over the last five years.
“It’s just been a matter of finding that belief in what we’re doing and Saturday’s game is the perfect example of that.”
Grovedale got out to a seven-goal lead at half time, but the Supersaints hit back.
Teamwork in the back half of the court from Chloe Blunt and Morgan Byrne in the dying stages allowed Grovedale to regain the lead.
The Tigers have another winnable game this week in Bell Park, which is still searching for its first victory, although a two-goal loss to Leopold was encouraging.
“We know that they have been depleted by injuries throughout this season and that they’re not playing the netball they’ve produced over the last few years,” Randall said.
“The competition at the moment is very much split. We have a top half and then a good six or seven or eight that are winnable games in that second-half of the draw, so at this point we’ve got the girls to a point where they’re really believing that they can turn up and compete against anyone at the moment.
“Unfortunately, we don’t play a lot of those bottom half teams again. We get hit with a very strong month of netball coming up after this weekend. But the girls are really looking forward to testing themselves against those elite sides again because we are a very different side than we were at the start of the season. So our goal for the rest of this season is to continue to build our structures and our chemistry to continue.”
Wing attack Ellen Brown was best for Grovedale on the weekend while Morgan Byrne was dominant at goalkeeper and youngster Olivia Makowski was busy at centre, goal attack and wing attack.
“Liv is an absolute utility, she can play goals and she can play any of the three mid-courts,” Randall said.
“She’s just a young girl, but she’s incredibly versatile and she’s got a lot of weapons to her game. We’re still building her confidence in her netball skills. She is still a player that is developing her craft, but she can be played in a range of different positions.”
COLAC goal shooter Michelle Winch found the net 63 times from 71 attempts in her team’s 75 to 40 win against Lara.
STAR defender Ruby Pekin-Schlicht was a standout in Newtown & Chilwell’s 53 to 36 win against fellow contender Geelong West.
LEOPOLD captain Darcy Wilson was dominant in mid court as her side had to work hard to overcome a plucky Bell Park, 42 to 40.
ST JOSEPH’S skipper Emily Post starred as her team overcame St Mary’s 45 to 22 to stay in the top five.
