It was a milestone extravaganza for Broadford Football Netball Club on Saturday.
The Kangaroos faced Powelltown at home in the second last round of the Outer East Football Netball League division two competition as the club celebrated three players’ achievements.
Netballer Ebony Heers made club history as the first netballer to play 250 senior games.
Beginning her career in 1999, Heers has won many club and league accolades over the years, including a few premierships. She also earned life membership status in 2018.
Club president Bonnie Welch, nee Cavanagh, also celebrated her 200th netball game on Saturday, qualifying her for life membership.
Starting with the club at 14 years old in 2003, Welch was a member of the ‘premier and champions’ C Grade team, which also celebrated its 20-year reunion on Saturday.
She won a flag the following year and was selected in the interleague representative squad – the start of many other personal and club accolades over two decades.
Welch has been involved with the club on and off the court, taking on countless committee roles, and became the first-ever female president of the club, currently in her fifth term.
In a perfect result to celebrate the milestones, it was a clean sweep for Broadford across all netball games on Saturday.
Broadford A grade netballers had a seven-goal win over Powelltown as they faced the side for the third time this year.
Leading 16 goals to 11 at the end of the first quarter, the Kangaroos started with a comfortable lead and continued their form into the second quarter to be up by five goals at halftime.
A competitive third quarter saw Powelltown shrink the margin to four goals, but a strong fourth quarter from Broadford resulted in a 43-36 win.
Best players for Broadford were captain Ally Black, goal shooter Renee Sari and Toni Bootland.
Sitting a game clear at second on the later, A Grade face Yarra Junction in the final round of the home and away season, before all four Broadford netball teams are locked in to play finals.
Football
Reserves player Jai Heers celebrated his 200th game and life membership on Saturday.
Starting his football career in 1988, Heers played for Northern Knights and North Heidelberg before joining Broadford in 2001 where he has remained.
Highlights of Heers’ football career at Broadford include winning the 2021 Reserves best and fairest, coaching the reserves in 2017 and 2018, and winning most valuable player and runner-up best and fairest in 2017.
But his side couldn’t get the win on Saturday, with the Reserves going down to Powelltown by 33 points.
Broadford seniors also suffered a loss, with Powelltown too strong and dominating the game to win by 94 points.
It was a tough first half for Broadford, kicking 1.1 in the first quarter and remaining scoreless in the second.
Powelltown started strong kicking 6.6 in the first term and 9.11 to control the momentum of the game in the first half.
Following a much more even third term, Powelltown kicked away in the final quarter, booting six goals.
Braydon Hardstaff, coach Jayden Welch and Angus Norris were named in Broadford’s best.
Broadford face Yarra Junction in the final round of the regular season on Saturday.
The club will also host a special general meeting on Thursday for financial and life members to vote on moving leagues. The club’s committee is proposing the Kangaroos applies to move to the Kyabram District Football Netball League.
