ALL four of Broadford’s netball teams are preparing for finals campaigns after wrapping up their home-and-away seasons on Saturday.
The Roos finished the Outer East Football Netball division two A Grade season with an impressive win against second-placed Powelltown, their first win against the Towners this season.
Broadford grabbed a six-goal advantage in the first quarter, with Ally Black continuing an excellent season and Renee Sari goaling strongly.
Powelltown was able to eat into the margin slightly in the second quarter, but an 11-goals-to-eight third term set the Roos up for a 42-37 victory.
Sari finished the game with 29 goals, with Caitlin Hinrichsen shooting 10. The pair has been among of the league’s best goalers this season, with Hinrichsen scoring 311 goals from 16 games and Sari racking up 290 from 13 games – fourth and fifth in the league respectively.
Broadford’s fourth-place finish sets it up for an elimination final against Alexandra, a team the Roos lost to in their first two meetings but beat by 12 goals in their most recent contest in round 17.
A win would see Broadford progress to a semi-final against the loser of a qualifying final between minor premier Warburton-Millgrove and Powelltown, while a loss would end the team’s season.
Broadford’s B Grade side was no match for Powelltown on Saturday, going down 26-45, but will get another crack at the Towners this weekend in a qualifying final after finishing second with 12 wins, four losses and a draw. Powelltown is yet to lose a game in B Grade this season.
Broadford’s C Grade side also lost to Powelltown on Saturday, 25-41, but will play an elimination final against Alexandra this weekend.
The Roos capped a successful return to 17 and under competition this year with a minor premiership, scoring a 32-6 win against Powelltown to seal top spot.
Broadford president Bonnie Cavanagh, also a C Grade netballer, said the club was thrilled to have all its netball sides playing finals.
“All of our girls are Broadford locals through and through, and we’re so excited that our full squad will be playing finals together,” she said.
“I think we can go deep into finals. We’re hitting our straps at the right time and our preparation has been excellent. As a president I’m super proud of everyone’s effort, their attitude and their resilience.
“We’re all excited given that we’ve not played finals in so long due to COVID-19 [and] to get a bit of silverware would be nice.”
Football
Broadford-Yea’s senior footballers drew the curtains on 2022 with a 9.4 (58) to 23.14 (152) loss to Powelltown on Saturday.
While a 94-point loss did not look flattering on the scoreboard, Cavanagh said it represented a vast improvement from the 205-point loss Broadford suffered in their previous meeting in round 10.
“Some people might see that as a really big blow-out, but for what we’re trying to achieve the boys have done well. They never gave up, they are resilient and they have grown together as a group,” she said.
Cavanagh said Broadford’s senior players had committed to returning next season, with plans to return as a standalone side after teaming with Yea for a year.
“Jayden [Welch], Alwin [Neilson] and the rest of the coaches have a lot of respect from the boys and they were really rapt with the efforts to finish the year off strongly,” she said.
“It all starts now – it doesn’t stop. We want to continue the momentum and improve our fitness to come into 2023 really strong.
“There have been a lot of people watching our progress and there is a lot of interest from outside footballers to come across.”
Broadford had a vote count for best and fairest awards on Sunday, with the senior football and A Grade netball teams to conclude their counts at the club’s presentation night on September 17.
The winners were: 17 and under netball, winner Cassie Zol, runner-up Leah O’Dell; C Grade, winner Hayley White, runner-up Beth Perry; B Grade, winner Natalie Fletcher, runner-up Jenny Neilson; reserves football, winner Jack Connell, runner-up Gareth Sharp.
After round 13 Liam Lucas led the senior football vote count with 45 votes, from Isaac Smithwick, 31, and Jayme Ruedin, 18.
Ally Black and Amanda Rothwell were tied for the lead in the A Grade netball count with 40 votes after round 15, with Ebony Heers third on 36 votes.
