Rovers bring home four flags

Both teams knew that victory meant securing the title of premiers, and the intensity was palpable.

The Rovers settled quickly, setting the tone with a fantastic first quarter to lead 10-6.

Abbey Wills and Carissa Bulmer stepped up against the Swans' physical defence, holding their ground and giving the Rovers a much-needed early advantage.

Katunga responded in the second quarter, narrowing the margin, but coach Alex Glowrey's half-time address gave the Rovers the clarity and fire they needed to take control again in the third.

Natalie Sampson and Chloe Way made life difficult for Katunga's shooters, disrupting their rhythm, while Gabrielle Barlow used her strength to shut down the Swans’ offensive plays.

Hazel Glowrey and Chloe Brown worked tirelessly to outmanoeuvre Katunga's physical defence, feeding the shooters with pinpoint accuracy.

Heading into the fourth quarter, the Rovers led by four, but the final quarter turned into an arm wrestle as both teams went goal for goal.

Glowrey made a decisive move, injecting Jackie Thorpe and Brittany Kirby from the bench to bring fresh legs and adjust the lineup.

The Rovers held their nerve and, despite Katunga’s relentless pressure, emerged victorious with a hard-fought 30-27 win.

Glowrey was tickled pink in the wake of the victory, rightly affirming that Saturday’s performance capped off a truly memorable year for Deniliquin.

“We’ve had such a lovely year with the girls, and they’ve worked really, really hard for this,” she said.

“They had a target on their back I guess, winning last year, so for them to finish off on such a great note was fantastic.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game — they (Katunga) are tough competitors — and we just had to trust the process that what we’ve been doing all year is going to work.

“And it did. Fantastic.”

The umpires awarded the Faye Cook Best on Court medal to Natalie Sampson for her commanding performance as goalkeeper, capping off a brilliant team effort and crowning the Deniliquin Rovers as premiers!

B-grade triumph in grand final redemption

Final score: Deni Rovers 30 defeated Strathmerton 21.

What an incredible rematch!

The Rovers certainly turned the tables this year, delivering a clinical performance against Strathmerton in the B-grade grand final.

The girls clearly took to heart the message of playing smart, calm netball, and it showed from the first quarter, where they asserted their dominance early, outscoring Strathy 9-3.

“Some of the girls were in the squad last year that lost, so I guess they knew how it felt,” said coach Alex Glowrey.

“But we trained and put everything together as a squad, so it was really nice to have the whole squad and both teams winning.”

Isabella Mcilwain was on fire, with captain Georgia Van Lieshout providing unwavering support.

Brittany Kirby's composure in the centre was instrumental in keeping the momentum in Rovers’ favour, even as Strathmerton fought back in the second quarter.

But it was the Rovers’ defence that truly shone, particularly Jackie Thorpe, whose intercepts were both timely and inspiring.

She set the tone for the defensive efforts, with Georgia McCulloch, Sophie Dudley, and Montana Jones stepping up to create turnover after turnover.

The midcourters, Olivia Park and Montana Muldoon-Leetham, showed great patience in moving the ball around, working the circle edge, and feeding the shooters with precision.

At the final whistle, the Rovers triumphed 30-21, with Jackie Thorpe deservedly taking the best-on-court honours.

Coach Alex Glowrey’s pride was clear, acknowledging the players for sticking to the game plan and executing flawlessly. A well-earned victory for the Rovers!

Glowrey doted on what four grand final wins out of five meant to her.

“We’ve got such great talent in Deniliquin, and we do have such a supportive club,” she said.

“They call it the family club - I’ve got all my three daughters playing - and it’s a fantastic club to be a part of.”

Rovers edged out in thrilling C-reserve final

Final score: Deni Rovers 21 defeated by Katandra 24.

What a grand final!

The weather was nearly perfect—slightly warmer than we were used to, but still ideal for a great game.

Excitement and nerves were in the air, but the girls remained composed, ready to step onto the court.

The Rovers family was out in full force, making sure the girls felt their support throughout, cheering them on every step of the way.

The first whistle blew, and the girls held their ground through a tight first quarter.

Katandra was determined to make things tough, and it was goal for goal. At the end of the quarter, the scores were locked even.

In the second quarter, Katandra found their rhythm, and we struggled to keep pace.

But we held on, and despite their push, Katandra went into half-time with just a three-goal lead. That wasn’t going to stop us.

The third quarter saw Deni come out swinging, with strong plays from our defence and midfield working overtime.

By the end of the third, we had clawed our way to a 2-goal lead.

Katandra, however, wasn’t ready to back down.

As the heat and fatigue took their toll, they found a burst of energy in the final quarter, finishing the game three goals ahead.

But even as the score slipped away, the Rovers girls never gave up. They fought hard right until the final whistle, refusing to hand the win to the Kats without a fight.

The game may not have ended in our favour, but every single girl who took to the court and those who cheered passionately from the bench - including player Kelly Thorpe, who was injured during the week, should be immensely proud of what they've accomplished this season.

You've made yourselves, your team, your club, your community, and your coaches incredibly proud. You worked hard and grew as a team.

I thank you for an amazing season and look forward to seeing you all again next season.

Under-15s clinch grand final victory

Final score: Deni Rovers 31 defeated Tungamah 28.

The Deni Rovers under-15s’ remarkable season all came down to one final challenge - the grand final against Tungamah.

The Bears, who finished second on the ladder, had only faced us once before, in what had been our closest contest of the season, adding to the tension.

From the opening whistle, the pressure was palpable as Tungamah came out strong, capitalising on turnovers and executing sharp, accurate shooting.

Despite the early pressure, our girls fought fiercely to stay in the game. By half-time, we were trailing by just two goals.

During the half-time break, the message was clear: enjoy the game, no matter the result, and leave nothing behind on the court.

“Go hard, enjoy the game - if you don’t enjoy it, it’s not much fun out there, and you can’t do your best,” coach Nerisa Wills said.

The girls didn’t disappoint. They elevated their game, with the third quarter proving to be the turning point.

“They all had a role to play, they all had a job, and they had to play as a team, so those were the words, and they did it.”

We held the Bears to just five goals while adding ten of our own.

Our defence stood tall, with Amy Holloway and Zoe Basset dominating the rebounds and intercepting countless passes.

Isabell Macknight and Eve Meharry applied relentless pressure, disrupting Tungamah’s attack with key interceptions.

Sienna Elphick ran tirelessly through the midcourt, forcing the opposition to rotate players in a bid to slow her down.

Amelie Bulmer and Lexi Hussey were instrumental in delivering pinpoint passes to our shooters.

Despite an injury, Emily Harvey remained a force of support, cheering her teammates on from the sidelines.

Up front, Ruby Cowley and Bae Wills found their unstoppable rhythm, lighting up the scoreboard with a flurry of goals, smiles, and high-fives.

A jubilant Nerisa Wills beamed at the final hooter, Deni’s mentor elated to see her girls reap the rewards of an excellent season.

“It was an amazing game. We knew it was going to be tough because we’d only come up against Tungamah once this year, so we weren’t sure what we were up against,” Wills said.

“We were a bit slow in the first half, we were a bit down, but the girls lifted.

“We said just enjoy it - whatever happens, just enjoy the day as it’s an honour to be in a grand final, and they brought it, so I’m very proud of each and each one of them.”

Sienna Elphick was named the best on the court for the grand final by the umpires.

Under-13s complete undefeated season

Final score: Deni Rovers 29 defeated Tocumwal 13.

In a stunning display of strength, cohesiveness, agility, and discipline, the Rovers’ under-13s emerged victorious in the grand final, capping off an undefeated season.

From the opening whistle to the final siren, the girls played with exceptional skill and determination, outmanoeuvring their opponents with sharp passes, quick footwork, and solid teamwork.

Throughout the match, each of the 10 players contributed to the team’s success.

Their ability to work together as a unit, both offensively and defensively, proved unstoppable.

The defenders held strong, intercepting passes with agility and precision, while the midcourt players kept the pace fast and fluid, ensuring seamless transitions into attack.

Our shooters were calm and composed, delivering consistent and accurate shots under pressure.

It was a season marked by hard work and dedication, and this grand final win was a well-deserved reward for their commitment.

Going undefeated is no small feat, and the girls can proudly celebrate their flawless season.

Congratulations to the entire team on their remarkable achievement!

Nina Glowrey was named the best on court for the grand final.