A-grade: Deni Rovers 37 def Katandra 26.
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In a thrilling qualifying final at Berrigan on Sunday, the Deniliquin Rovers A-grade team faced the Katandra Kats.
Echoing their round 18 encounter, the first quarter was a fierce tussle and ended in an 8-all deadlock.
Gabrielle Barlow asserted her dominance, creating turnover after turnover and supporting the defensive team of Natalie Sampson, Ella Park, and Chloe Way with relentless pressure.
By half-time, the Rovers had gained a slight three-goal lead.
Abbey Wills and Carissa Bulmer worked the circle like a well-drilled duo, dictating the play to receive the ball where needed.
Hazel Glowrey and Chloe Brown utilised their speed and withstood tough and physical opposition. At the three-quarter break, the Rovers led 26-19.
Not content with the seven-goal lead, the girls continued to work tirelessly, ultimately winning by 11 at the final whistle.
It was a great team performance, with captain Barlow leading by example and being named best on court.
B-grade: Deni Rovers 36 def Strathmerton 35.
In a gripping qualifying final at Jerilderie on Saturday, the Deniliquin Rovers B-grade team faced a tough battle against Strathmerton.
The first quarter was an arm wrestle, ending in a stalemate at 12-all.
Bell Mcilwain was on fire, presenting herself beautifully for the ball and shooting well alongside captain Georgia Van Lieshout.
The defensive duo of Jackie Thorpe and Georgia McCulloch found an extra gear this week, creating the turnovers the Rovers needed.
Sophie Dudley wowed the crowd with her speed and agility, adding to the team’s defensive prowess.
The midcourt was expertly managed by Montana Muldoon-Leetham, Brittany Kirby, and Olivia Park.
These players provided the necessary drive and seamlessly fed the ball into the shooters, maintaining the team’s momentum.
In the second and third quarters, the Rovers maintained their composure, taking slight leads in both.
The game was always going to be a marathon, not a sprint, and the Strathy girls came into the last quarter throwing everything at the Roos.
Despite this, the Rovers kicked on and secured a narrow but sweet victory.
It was a team effort but better players were Georgia McCulloch, Jackie Thorpe and Bell Mcilwain.
C-Grade: Deni Rovers 47 def Tungamah 30.
In weather more suited to ducks, it took some adjusting to get into this week’s game.
Within the first few minutes, the Rovers had a scare when Makhaya Mitsch got tangled with her opponent and was left limping.
However, this only fuelled her determination, and she quickly found her stride, working seamlessly with fellow midcourters Jemmah Conallin and Matilda Glowrey, who were the first to settle the play.
Their multiple tips and intercepts provided the extra opportunities Rovers needed, allowing the team to go into quarter-time with a solid seven-goal lead.
With some extra strapping from Mitschy, the team lineup remained unchanged.
Shooters Nicole Felmingham and Brittany Edwards hit their stride, showing improved accuracy and movement inside the ring.
Erika Martin, our intercept queen, continued to dominate with numerous turnovers, showcasing why she’s been a force all season.
The third quarter was by far the best for the blue and white, with Rovers outscoring Tungamah 14 goals to five.
Changes made at half-time paid off, with Shané Bothma making her presence felt through a tight defence, numerous turnovers, and brilliant feeds to the attack end.
Jemma Smith also shone, having worn down her opponent and had figured out Tungamah’s style of play. This allowed her to predict their moves, beating her GS to many passes.
Despite a healthy lead going into the final quarter, Tungamah didn’t back down.
Every ball was a contest, and the Rovers had to work hard to maintain control.
Our full-team defence managed to force a couple of held balls and errors, and with continued accuracy in goals, we converted many turnovers, finishing the game strong in our first final.
C-Reserve: Deni Rovers 30 def Katandra 24.
What a finals game! Just two weeks ago, Deni faced Katandra in the final round of the home-and-away season and it ended in a thrilling draw.
So, heading into this rematch, we knew we had to give it everything we had and leave it all on the court.
From the first whistle, Deni came out strong, applying intense defensive pressure.
The ball flowed smoothly through the midcourt, allowing our shooters to capitalise.
We seized Katandra’s loose balls and ended the first quarter with a six-goal lead.
The second quarter brought light showers, forcing us to adjust.
Katandra adapted quickly, taking control of the quarter with ten goals to our six.
Heading into the second half with a slim two-goal lead, the third quarter became the game’s pressure point.
Both teams matched each other goal for goal, ending the quarter with six goals each.
However, some mid-game adjustments helped us regain our rhythm.
During the third-quarter break, our coaching team urged the girls to give everything they had in the final quarter—and they delivered.
Lauren Butcher was on fire, sinking goals from all distances in the ring.
The Rovers girls stepped up a gear, and their energy was palpable from the sidelines. Matching the first quarter in goals and margin, we secured the game with a six-goal win.
Best on court, decided by the coaches, went to Mollie Leetham for her strong passes into the ring, driving runs down the court, and her leadership and supportive play to back up the team.
Under-15s: Deni Rovers 48 def Picola United 17.
The girls knew they were in for a tough game this week, and Picola didn’t disappoint, coming out strong from the start.
By quarter-time, the Rovers had battled their way to a hard-earned six-goal lead.
In the second quarter, Deni settled into their game, gradually taking control and dominating the play.
The second half was all about Rovers as they surged ahead, scoring 29 goals to Picola’s nine, securing a commanding victory.
There were some brilliant passages of play that brought a smile to the coach’s face.
Under-13s: Deni Rovers 48 def Rennie 14.
A massive team effort propelled the Roos into the preliminary final.
The team’s skill and versatility were on full display, with positional changes each quarter highlighting the players’ ability to excel in multiple roles.
The Rovers steadily increased their lead through precise passing into the ring and sharp, accurate shooting.
It was a fantastic effort by all players, delivering four solid quarters of netball to secure the win
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