Grand Finals are truly a spectacle of life’s inexorable opposites.
For one team, the final whistle-blow induces euphoria. For the other, devastation.
Hours upon hours of hard work, sweat, and sometimes tears are paid off in victory for those who are triumphant. For those coming off second best, hard work is met with misery – fleeting as it may be, it’s a tough pill to swallow.
Woodside evaded heartbreak at the weekend, defeating Churchill 50-29 in the North Gippsland Football-Netball League A Grade Grand Final.
The win meant a second consecutive A Grade netball premiership for the Wildcats.
Woodside’s army of loyalists descended upon Heyfield’s Gordon Street Reserve on Saturday, armed and ready to cheer their A Grade netballers to back-to-back flags.
Their opponents wouldn’t be without their own army of supporters. Churchill’s legion of Cougars supporters infiltrated Heyfield Football-Netball Club’s gates, assembling their position beyond the black-wired fencing at the court’s edge.
Pigments of navy blue, white and yellow gold dazzled in the sun, dipping ever closer towards the horizon. Wind whizzed streamers of the beholder’s respective club’s colours, and chatter buzzed as anticipation germinated.
The court clear and ready. Anticipation peaked for supporters and players alike.
Officials called players to the court, one by one.
As sneakers collided with the vibrant blue court surface beneath them, just 60 minutes separated the Cougars and the Wildcats from the premiership title.
Churchill roared with determination.
Finishing eighth in the 2022 season, the mere thought of Churchill making finals, much alone a Grand Final, was a stretch beyond belief for most.
But with a new season came a new Churchill. Katrina Hutchinson’s Cougars defied expectations from the outset to finish the 2023 home-and-away season third, with convincing finals wins over Heyfield and Sale City, securing their place in the Grand Final.
Woodside embodied tenacity.
In an unexpected turn of events, the 2022 minor premier and Grand Final winners finished the season fourth on the ladder, making Woodside’s road to the 2023 Grand Final a long one.
But the Wildcats, led by former Victorian Netball League premiership goal shooter Elizabeth ‘Libby’ Nicol, all but proved their role as league pacesetters, steamrolling their way to the Grand Final, defeating traditional powerhouse Rosedale 75-24 in the elimination final, Heyfield 64-34 in the semi-final and Sale City 63-45 in the preliminary final.
Woodside had earned a well-deserved place in the Grand Final, a chance to claim a consecutive premiership title, a chance they would not relinquish easily.
This was it; no more waiting now.
Teams took their places. Would Hutchinson lead Churchill to their first A Grade premiership since 2012, or would Nicol re-establish the Wildcats as the benchmark for the 2024 season?
Churchill stormed into the game, with wing defender Zaida Gilbanovic stealing possession with a spectacular interception from the game’s opening centre pass.
Woodside heard their wake-up call loud and clear – they would not make the same mistake twice.
The Cougars’ transition from midcourt into the shooting ring was seamless, quickly finding the hands of goal shooter Louie Patten.
Enter Holly Jonston.
Just as Churchill looked like shooting the game’s first goal, the Cougars were denied by Woodside goalkeeper Holly Jonston.
Jonston was influential for the Wildcats, with sensational one-on-one pressure, anticipation of the ball, quick change of direction, evasiveness to fly for the intercept at any given moment, and overall strength.
Woodside’s defensive threat was bolstered not just by Jonston’s individual performance but also by the goalkeeper’s collaboration with goal defender Caitlan Johnson. Together, Jonston and Johnson formed one hell of a defence to penetrate.
With the ball back in the Wildcats’ hands, Woodside zeroed in on Nicol.
The Wildcats transitioned from their defensive third to attacking with such speed that you would miss it if you sneezed.
Scoring was inevitable once Woodside got that ball to Nicol – you don’t win three VNL championship Hot Shot Awards without being able to put away a goal.
Nicol would shoot 12 goals in the Grand Final’s opening quarter. Patten would score six.
Churchill posed a consistent threat through Glibanovic, whose impressive long-range accuracy, elevation, vision, speed, movement and defensive pressure proved pivotal on more than one occasion.
Supporters were treated to an athletic and competitive match-up between Glibanovic and the Wildcats’ wing attack Taylah Buckley, with the dynamic young midcourter bolstering Woodside’s speed and whose agility, rapid change of direction and ability to find space made her difficult to stop.
While Glibanovic posed a threat in the defensive and centre third, Churchill’s dynamic centre, Rachael Loechel, caused a headache for the Wildcats across the entire court.
Loechel’s vision, paired with her seamless transition between attack and defence, made her a tough competitor, with deliberate and evasive movement allowing her to apply constant pressure in all areas of the court.
Despite the Cougars’ speed, defensive and mid-court pressure and accuracy in the shooting ring through the likes of Patten, Churchill was unable to thwart a blistering Woodside.
The Wildcats rapidly transitioned play from end to end with a truly stunning fluidity, showcasing a beautiful brand of netball.
While windy conditions added a challenge for both sides, Nicol was unstoppable in the shooting ring, with Woodside doubling Churchill’s score before retiring for the first quarter break.
Woodside set the tone early in the second quarter, finding Nicol in the shooting ring in record time.
Wildcats wing defender Georgie Banik came flying out for an intercept on Churchill’s opening centre pass, with Woodside pushing their seven-goal lead to eight.
The reigning NGFNL A Grade premier scored four goals before Churchill put away their first goal of the second quarter.
As Churchill recovered from the Wildcats’ blistering start to the quarter, the Cougars showed strength through Glibanovic, Loechel and playing-coach Hutchinson at wing attack.
The trio comprised a dangerous midcourt combination, a threat to any opposition.
Loechel’s impressive work rate was on show as the second quarter progressed, evenly matched by Woodside centre Laura Foat.
Churchill’s defensive unit of Samantha Mann and Stacey Yates applied the pressure, forcing Woodside to work the ball around. But once in the goal circle, the looming presence of Nicol was hard to stop.
Jonston continued to cause problems for the Cougars in the shooting ring, with the Wildcats’ tenacious goalkeeper a real headache for opposition attackers with her timing on the intercept and willingness to contest.
Great footwork and work rate allowed Jonston to body up on her opposition and cause mayhem to the feeders while also providing great reach and elevation over the shot.
The Wildcats had forged a 10-goal lead midway through the second quarter.
With a late second-quarter change of positions for the Cougars, Glibanovic assumed the role of goal defender, with Layla Blair coming off the bench and adopting the role of wing defender.
Glibanovic denied Woodside as they attempted to feed into the ring, with the turnover of possession ebbing Woodside’s lead.
While Churchill may have found their groove in the final minutes of the second quarter, the Wildcats dominating second-quarter performance left the Cougars with a mountain to climb after the break.
Woodside led Churchill 27-13 ahead of the third quarter.
Churchill returned to the court burning with momentum. The lethal Hutchinson and Lochel combination was hard to stop and was complemented by Patten, whose strength in the shooting ring paid dividends.
Patten’s accuracy under pressure kept defenders on their toes, but Jonston and Johnson stepped up to the challenge.
Jonston was a formidable masterclass in defence.
Competition between Jonston and Patten continued to heat up, making for a highly physical battle between the Woodside goalkeeper and Churchill goal shooter.
Fierce match-ups continued in the midcourt, with the Cougars and the Wildcats’ centres, Foat and Loechel, boasting impressive agility and speed.
Churchill had upped the ante with the Cougars throwing everything they could at the Wildcats, refusing to go down without a fight. But it wasn’t without response.
Buckley, Nicol and Woodside goal attack Jess Banik was a prominent attacking threat with Foat’s technical skill, reading of play and consistent pressure forcing mid-court mistakes.
Churchill pushed hard to keep themselves in the game.
The Cougars used their midcourt strength to their advantage while Mann and Yates worked hard to isolate Nicol in the shooting ring.
A tall, physical goal shooter with great timing and accuracy, Nicol did not make things easy for Churchill’s defence, with the playing-coach Woodside’s sole scorer in the third term, shooting 11 goals.
The Wildcats led the Cougars 38-20 ahead of the fourth quarter, with a change to Woodside’s line-up in the final term. Buckley assumed the centre position, Jess Banik moved to wing attack with Andrea Elliot coming off the bench playing as the Wildcats’ goal attack.
Georgie Banik set the tone for the final quarter, hunting and stealing possession, flying out for an intercept on Churchill’s opening centre pass and furthering Woodside’s lead.
Jonston continued her epic Grand Final campaign, thwarting a strong Patten in the shooting ring.
Nicol commanded play from Woodside’s attacking third, with Woodside looking almost impossible to stop.
The Wildcats benefited from a Jess Banik interception, the Wildcats wing attack regaining possession as Churchill attempted to rid the ball from their defensive third.
Both Churchill and Woodside wing defenders, Blair and Georgie Banik, threatened with excellent vision.
Yates’ fourth-quarter performance was commendable, with the Churchill goalkeeper exercising excellent reading of play and skilful technical abilities, intercepting Woodside’s attempts to feed into the ring on several occasions.
Buckley’s outstanding agility and endurance shone in her role as Woodside’s centre, with the young midcourter combining well with Elliot and Jess Banik to feed to Nicol.
While the Cougars dug their claws in, fighting tooth-and-nail until the final whistle sounded, their attempts at overpowering the Wildcats fell short.
Woodside defeated Churchill 50-29, with Nicol scoring an impressive 43 of the Wildcats’ 50 goals.
Jonston was awarded best-on-court, truly well deserved, following an exceptional Grand Final performance.
While Woodside claimed a second consecutive NGFNL A Grade Grand Final win, Churchill’s hopes of securing their first premiership in 11 years diminished.
Life consists of a complex of inexorable opposites. While we might not be able to change that, we can choose what side to focus on and experience.
Churchill may have lost at the weekend, but their 2023 season has been a winning campaign. Here’s hoping the Cougars focus on this.
