East Gippsland clubs will begin their netball campaigns this weekend.
Finishing fifth on the EGFNL ladder last year before everybody’s dear old friend COVID prompted an abrupt end to the 2021 season with no finals, Boisdale-Briagolong entered the 2022 season all the more determined to take their place as finalist competitors.
Take their place, they did.
The Bombers won their Round One match against Lakes Entrance 42:41, continuing to win 15 of their 18 games across the 2022 season, landing them second on the EGFNL ladder come finals.
Under coach Sarah Gardiner Boisdale-Briagolong FNC progressed to the EGFNL 2022 Grand Final after defeating ladder leader Wy Yung 49 to 39 in the semi-final.
The Bombers led 13 to 9 over the Tigers at the end of the first quarter; by the end of the third quarter, Wy Yung had closed the gap, the Bombers leading by just two points.
Between Boisdale-Briagolong’s unmatched camaraderie, relentless determination, accuracy in the shooting ring and talent in mid-court, the Tigers’ attempts to dethrone the Bombers were ineffective.
As the final siren sounded, Boisdale-Briagolong FNC led Wy Yung FNC 44 to 37 and were crowned East Gippsland FNL premiers for season 2022.
Boisdale-Braigolong
Coach: Sarah Gardiner
Last season: Second (15 wins, 3 losses, 0 draws)
Boisdale-Briagolong FNC made history in 2022, reaching their first-ever EGFNL A Grade netball Grand Final and claiming their first premiership in more than 20 years.
Following such a triumphant season, the pressure is on coach Sarah Gardiner to replicate the success of 2022 in the 2023 season.
“[My goal this season is] to go back to back,” Gardiner said.
“Also, to create a tight-knit playing group both on and off the court.
“We have a few new players after losing a couple from last year, four in total, including Rachel Weatherley, who is back from an injury where she didn’t play last year. We also have Poppi Fleming, Bec Mckay and Lucy Jones.
“Demi Scriven is also a junior development player who will be a fantastic A grader in the very near future,” Gardiner added.
“We have lost a strong leader and presence on the court in Linley Bertacchini, who isn’t playing at all this season and focusing on other priorities and another very strong player in Emerson Connolly, who is moving away.”
Gardiner says her team’s strengths will be speed, fitness and winning determination.
“I think having a different group again this year where we are very young again and a mix of returning and new players, we have to find the balance of continuing on from last year and building on tactics and developing the new players and incorporating them into our structure,” Gardiner said.
“We are very big on communicating and all being on the same page this year, so incorporating regular team meetings and analysis is a high priority. In regards to training, we have stuck at the two trainings a week with a similar plan to help build before the season.
“We are a very young team who is determined to get the wins again. We will use our speed and fitness again mixed with structured team plays.”
Boisdale-Briagolong FNC president Ryan Evans also hopes Gardiner can go back-to-back this season.
“Gardiner is a great fit for the club; she has the respect of her players and communicates well. She also gets involved with club activities off the court.
“She is the current FNEG A Grade premiership coach whom we’re hoping can go back-to-back.”
Stratford
Coach: Ashlea Higgins
Last season: Fourth (12 wins, 6 losses, 0 draws)
Stratford Football Netball Club had a widely successful 2022 season, with every grade except A Grade making the EGFNL 2022 Grand Final. Finishing fourth at the end of the season, the Swans progressed to the semi-finals, their campaign cut short by Lakes Entrance, going down 44:37.
Ashlea Higgins has been coaching on and off since 2016, beginning with Stratford’s Under 17s side, D Grade, in 2017, switching to coach C Grade at another club before returning to coach the Swans A Grade side in 2022. Returning for 2023, Higgins is focused on fostering a championship-winning environment.
“[My goals for the 2023 season are] to support all my girls in the A and B squad and create a strong morale with the group,” Higgins said.
“I’m excited to see how far they will go! The ultimate goal is to win the A and B grade premiership.”
2023 will see Tori Patterson and Ebony Lee return to Stratford FNC, along with new player Georgia Roberts-Wisely joining the Swans for the impending season.
“Our biggest change is that we are running as a squad this year to ensure no individual becomes complacent,” Higgins said.
“I’m so excited to implement this change as I think it will make our A and B Grades very strong.”
Higgins says Stratford’s strengths in the 2023 season will be the strength and solidity of their team.
“With old players coming back into our club, our team will gel very well from the get-go,” Higgins said.
“Our morale will also be a strength of ours all the girls have a great relationship. We are also looking fit this year as the girls are getting to training twice a week and also doing their own work outside training times.”
Stratford Football Netball Club netball president Alexandra Telling said the Swans had a great season last year and expects the success to continue throughout the 2023 season.
“We had a great season last year and found ourselves back in finals,” Telling said.
“With new A Grade Coach Ash Higgins and a few new players, it really saw the girls step up and work hard.
“Our strengths this season are for sure the versatility of each player, as well as a great mix of mature and well-experienced players with young and up-and-coming players just out of juniors.
“Ash has great plans this season, and we’re excited to see it all fall into place.”
Wy Yung
Coach: Katelyn Wheeler
Last season: First (17 wins, 1 loss, 0 draws)
The 2022 EGFNL premiership seemed like a sure thing for Wy Yung, progressing through the season almost undefeated, only to have the title ripped away by giant slayers Boisdale-Briagolong FNC in the final quarter of the grand final.
You best believe the Tigers will be out for revenge in the 2023 season.
Lakes Entrance
Coach: Yvonne Porter
Last season: Third (12 wins, 6 losses, 0 draws)
Tipping the top three on the EGFNL ladder in 2022, their grand final dreams ripped away by Wy Yung in the preliminary final, Lakes Entrance is set to return to the court in 2023 hungry for revenge.
“The Lakes Entrance A Grade netball team performed brilliantly right through last year but seemed to get lost for two minutes in the final quarter of last year’s preliminary final, and that was all Wy Yung needed to tip them out of the race for a Grand Final spot,” Lakes Entrance Football Netball Club president Kevin Giblin said.
Returning as Lakes Entrance’s A Grade coach for a third year, Giblin is confident Yvonne Porter can lead the Seagulls to a 2023 premiership.
“This season, she [Porter] also holds an assistant coach position with Peninsula Waves in Divison 1 of the Victorian Netball League,” Gilbin said.
“With her experience, she is the right person to develop our teams to their full potential.
“Yvonne showed her capabilities last season, so it was a no-brainer to re-sign her for the 2023 season.”
Giblin is most looking forward to the Seagulls’ clash against Wy Yung.
Lucknow
Coach: Sue-Ellen
Last season: Seventh (4 wins, 14 losses 0 draws)
In the midst of rebuilding its A Grade side Lucknow Football Netball Club showed improvement in the 2022 season under appointed coach Sue-Ellen Latham.
“Given the team is in a rebuild year, and a lot of junior players were given opportunities in A grade, the team did really well,” Lucknow FNC president Stephen Bull said.
“They improved from the previous year and they will continue to keep growing.
“Sue-Ellen has strong communication, great netball knowledge and is key at continuing to develop our junior players.”
Looking for continuity within their coaching structure and her proven abilities, it was an easy choice to resign Latham as Lucknow FNC’s 2023 A Grade coach.
Lucknow FNC is making waves for women in sport, creating a supportive, inclusive, and equitable environment for their female athletes.
“If we look at our executive committee, the representation is equal,” Bull said.
“New facilities that ensure it is gender friendly, game day awards and achievements are all equal across both football and netball and football and netball are equally supported.
“We are also hosting another Orange Round this year, which supports equality in sport.”
Bull says he is most looking forward to Lucknow’s very first game of the season against Wy Yung, their archrivals from across the river.
Paynesville
Coach: Shae Joustra.
Last season: Eighth (0 wins, 17 losses, 0 draws)
After returning to netball in 2022 after having children, Shae Joustra is assuming the role of Paynesville Football Netball Club’s A Grade coach for 2023.
“I am so excited and grateful to have been given this opportunity, the club have been so supportive, and I am heavily assisted by Jaimie to coach this year’s A Grade side,” Joustra said.
“I grew up on the sidelines of Saturday netball competition. Every Saturday, I would be there from 8am to 8pm. My mum, over the years, undertook multiple roles, including being a player, an umpire, a coach and the uniform coordinator.
“From a very young age, I have just loved watching netball, and then as a teenager, I discovered a passion for coaching young children and loved seeing them grow and develop as players.”
Following several seasons of being unable to field an A Grade side, the Mighty Gulls’ return to the A Grade competition in 2023 is a welcome change for the club, with Joustra set on making the community proud
“Everyone is new to our A-Grade side this year, we haven’t had an A Grade side for over half a decade, so we are thrilled to finally have the numbers to put a side out on the court,” Joustra said.
“We are extremely excited for the number of new players we are welcoming to Paynesville Netball Club, each team has new players within it, so this is just sensational for our club.
“We just want to make the club and the community proud.
“Personally, I am hoping to learn and grow as a coach and a mentor. Oh, and to get a few wins on the board would be awesome too.”
With Paynesville fielding a relatively young side, the Mighty Gulls are set to front a high-intensity, high-work-rate side this season.
“We have quite a young side this year, our median age is about 24,” Joustra said.
“They are all really competitive players individually and they all give 100 per cent when they are out on the court. I want to help these players to build connections and grow as a team, so we can look at future success within the next few years.
“I think our defence end this year will be one to watch, we have Samy Churches returning to the Guls after a few seasons away,” Joustra added.
“A close eye should also be kept on our returning defender duo of Teale Williams and Michalla Ablett, these two only got to play half a season together last year, but they just got better working together each week.
“We also have new and returning players amongst our midcourt and some fresh young faces within our goal circle. We are just so excited to get out there and play.”
Joustra says big changes within the club have seen the return of several former players with the netball club’s culture a supportive and inclusive environment.
“I am extremely lucky to have such a supportive committee behind me at Paynesville,” she said.
“There have been some big changes at the club within the last 12 months, and the support and dedication that they are putting in behind the scenes shouldn’t go unnoticed or unmentioned.
“The culture of the netball club has changed and is now inclusive and supportive, which has seen a lot of previous players return back to our club.”
First-year club president Grant Pugh says bringing equality to Paynesville FNC’s sporting programs and operations is one of the club’s highest priorities.
“This year, we have made the decision to start renumerating our A-Grade players; all of our players will receive match payments,” Pugh said.
“In addition to match payments, we will be matching all senior football incentives, such as best-on-ground cash awards, and our new netball change room facilities are due to commence construction this year.
“A range of changes are being made to our match-day operations to ensure we make an inclusive and welcoming environment for our female athletes,” Pugh added.
“Our committee have a good understanding of the need for the use of continuous improvement practices and will continue to work to make sure we get it right.”
Orbost
Last season: Sixth (4 wins, 13 losses, 0 draws)
Will 2023 be the season Orbost breaks into the top five? Finishing sixth at the end of the 2022 season, the Rovers are just an arms length away from breaking into the top of the ladder. Putting in some hard work, there is every possibility they can.
Lindenow
Last season: Fifth (7 wins, 11 losses, 0 draws)
Can Lindenow keep their place in the top five in 2023? With strong teams claiming the top three spots in 2022, Lindenow will have to fight hard to break top three and fight equally as hard to keep their position in the top five.
