Brayden Ison 39, Blake Downer 23, Blake Turner 19, Chris Schaper 12.
Panthers meet
BY COLIN MacGILLIVRAY
nly two years removed from a senior premiership, Rupanyup enters the 2024 Horsham District Football Netball League finals as a team in flux.
Just four players from that 2022 premiership – Daniel Schaper, Blake Turner, Mitch Gleeson and coach Brayden Ison – have played regularly at senior level this season, while others such as Andy Phelan, Zach Robinson and Scott Niewand have made three or fewer appearances.
Rupanyup, after a surprise loss to Pimpinio in its first game, appeared to be one of the sides most likely to challenge reigning premier Harrow-Balmoral, winning six of its next seven games, with the only loss in that span coming to the Roos by just 20 points.
But after that, the Panthers cooled significantly, winning just two of their final eight games, including a 114-point thrashing at the hands of Harrow-Balmoral in a round 18 rematch.
But, however rocky its past two months have been, Rupanyup has achieved the primary aim set by Ison at the start of the season – to make the finals.
Now, as Ison well knows, the season starts afresh.
“I think anyone can beat anyone on their day. You get one or two injuries to your top five in any side and it changes things completely,” he said.
“No one has got super depth once they’ve got injuries to their key players, so that’s probably where it’s going to be decided in finals – having a healthy list and not missing any of your top six to eight players.”
Unfortunately for Ison, missing top players has been a theme of the season.
Mitch Gleeson
their pass mark
In addition to the former premiership players who have appeared sparingly this year, young gun Connor Weide mann has been largely unavailable due to commitments with the Talent League’s Greater Western Victoria Rebels.
The AFL draft hopeful has pulled on a Rupanyup jumper only three times this season, his availability after this weekend is uncertain thanks to the Talent League’s convo luted finals format.
But Ison said he believed his team had talent capable of winning finals whether or not Weidemann played.
“Our best player this year has been Bill Hansen. We had a comment from an opposition player a couple of weeks ago about how good he is,” Ison said.
“He came back from a knee injury last year and showed us glimpses, but he’s had a full crack at it with a full preseason, and I believe he’s our best player.
“Then you’ve got guys like Kieran Sait, Jacob Chris tie, Kane Timmins and Mitch Gleeson, who has won the Dellar medal, right in line behind him.”
Rupanyup has also injected some youth into its line-up, with Jimmy Finnigan stepping up from the under-17s last season to play every senior game this year.
Rupanyup’s elimination final meeting with NoradjuhaQuantong this weekend presents an interesting challenge.
Their first meeting in round six yielded a 24-point win for Rupanyup in which their opposition failed to goal in the first and last quarters, but their round 17 rematch ended in a 67-point Bomber win.
But Ison’s side is right where it wanted to be at the start of the year. As he told The Weekly Advertiser round one:
“I think if we make finals that’s our pass mark, and then anything can happen from there.”
Players to watch
The reigning Dellar Medallist is arguably one of the most dangerous players in the competition. Whether in the ruck or on the ball, the bullocking red-head has a long kick in his arsenal that he uses to devas-
Brayden Ison
The tall forward and coach could possibly hold Rupanyup’s finals fortunes on his boot. Normally a lovely long kick of the football, if he gets his confidence up he is extremely hard to
Hansen is a tough onballer who enjoys winning the hard ball in the contest. He is often seen extracting the ball out of stoppages and gives his outside runners plenty of opportunities.
Kane Timmins
Timmins has filled out Rupanyup’s midfield this year after crossing from the Golden Rivers league in northern Victoria. He adds strength and explosiveness around the ball and has shown an ability to hit the scoreboard.
Mitch Gleeson
Bill Hansen
Brayden Ison
Coach: Guy Smith
Round 1: W. 9.11 (65) d Laharum 8.9 (57). Home.
Round 2: W. 14.10 (94) d Rupanyup 9.5 (59). Away.
Round 3: Bye.
Round 4: W. 15.17 (107) d Kalkee 7.9 (51). Home.
Round 5: W. 13.9 (87) d Kaniva-Leeor United 6.6 (42). Away.
Round 6: W. 16.9 (105) d Taylors Lake 11.7 (73). Home.
Round 7: L. 8.5 (53) to Noradjuha-Quantong 14.12 (96). Away.
Round 8: L. 8.12 (60) to Harrow-Balmoral 21.12 (138). Home.
Round 9: L. 9.7 (61) to Edenhope-Apsley 15.11 (101). Away.
Round 10: W. 17.7 (109) d Natimuk United 6.6 (42). Home.*
Round 11: L. 5.13 (43) to Swifts 11.12 (78). Away.
Round 12: W 16.13 (109) d Rupanyup 8.6 (54). Home.*
Round 13: L. 7.9 (51) to Laharum 8.9 (57). Away.
Round 14: Bye.
Round 15: L. 6.11 (47) to Kalkee 13.6 (84). Away.
Round 16: W. 23.15 (153) d Kaniva-Leeor United 8.6 (54). Home.
Round 17: L. 13.18 (96) to Taylors Lake 17.10 (112). Away.
Round 18: L. 5.4 (34) to Noradjuha-Quantong 15.13 (103). Home.**
Nick Groves 45, Jason Westley 28, Brock Hamerston 18, Dylan Bates 14, Adam Westley 12.
Tigers ‘upbeat
GILLIVRAY
he last time Pimpinio’s senior football side played finals, Kevin Rudd was Prime Minister of Australia, Victoria was just beginning to recover from the Black Saturday bushfires and reality television show MasterChef hit screens
Since a 32-point elimination final loss to Laharum on August 30, 2009, Pimpinio has endured 5470 consecutive days without a finals appearance –a streak that will be broken, ironically, in another elimination final against
In that time the Tigers have collected five wooden spoons, winning more than four games just once – last year,
Coach Guy Smith, who led the Tigers to an 8-8 record this season, said players, officials and supporters were delighted to take part in post-season action after such a lengthy absence.
Dylan Thomas
Mackay Baker
and stoked’
“This is the first time in 15 years that the senior side has been in the finals, so the club itself is really upbeat and stoked about that,” he said.
“That’s been a real motivating factor for us this year.”
Leading the charge back to the finals has been captain Jason Westley, who in his second season with Pimpinio has entrenched himself among the league’s elite.
Westley, along with Dylan Thomas and recruit Matt Rosier, has shored up the Tigers’ midfield, while Nick Groves has had a career-best season in front of goals with 45.
While Pimpinio’s second half of the season, which saw it drop eight of its final 11 games after winning its first five, left something to be desired, Smith said his side would enter the finals with a clean slate and a full list to choose from.
“The second half of the season hasn’t been brilliant for us, but we’re still learning,” he said.
“They’re not overly happy with the way they’ve been playing.
“They know they can perform a lot better.
“Coming into this finals series, it doesn’t matter how many games you’ve won or lost, it’s just about making it.
“It starts afresh and goes to a different pace now.
“We’re upbeat, and they’re stoked about finishing in the position that they’re in.”
Pimpinio’s two meetings with Laharum this season have both gone down to the wire, with the Tigers triumphing by eight points in round one before the Demons earned payback with a sixpoint win in round 13.
Anticipating another close encounter, Smith challenged his senior players to produce their best when the pressure was on.
“Jason Westley is huge for us and Dylan Thomas is a big-game player. They’re both midfielders who always rise to the occasion,” he said.
“Our key forwards have got to respond and perform on the big stage, so Brock Hammerston and Nick Groves have probably got to go to another level now.
“Matt Rosier has been leading by example for us.
“He often starts in defence but finishes up in the midfield.
“I’m looking forward to seeing them go to that next level, because the pressure’s on them now – there’s no tomorrow.
“We all need to perform or we’re gone, so I’m hoping they respond to it pretty well.”
Players to watch
Jason Westley
Captain Westley will return from concussion protocols for the first final. He is pivotal to winning the ball out of the centre and enjoys the physicality of the contest. In his 14 games for Pimpinio this season, he has been named in the best 11 times, and kicked 28 goals.
Matt Rosier
Rosier is small in stature but as skillful user of the football you would see. The veteran left-footer runs hard all day and his pinpoint use of the football and experience will be crucial to the young Tiger outfit. Rosier has been a key recruit for Pimpinio after crossing over from Dimboola in the Wimmera
Nick Groves
Groves doesn’t have the height of a key forward but is dangerous on the lead and normally extremely accurate in front of goal. He needs to have a big finals series if the Tigers are to progress further than week one.
Dylan Bates
Bates has not hit the scoreboard with the same regularity as he did last season, in which he kicked 29 goals for the Tigers, but he remains a vital part of the Pimpinio onball division. Has been in strong form in the back half of the season and could be a key player against Laharum after missing the Tigers’ most recent clash with the Demons.
Pimpinio Tigers
Jason Westley
Round 1: L. 8.9 (57) to Pimpinio 9.11 (65). Away.
Round 2: W. 9.11 (65) d Kalkee 7.2 (44). Home.
Round 3: W. 12.22 (94) d Kaniva-Leeor United 3.5 (23). Away.
Round 4: W. 11.10 (76) d Taylors Lake 6.7 (43). Home.
Round 5: L. 7.9 (51) to Noradjuha-Quantong 18.14 (122). Away.
Round 6: L. 6.2 (38) to Harrow-Balmoral 8.6 (54). Home.**
Round 7: W. 9.11 (65) d Edenhope-Apsley 7.7 (49). Away.
Round 8: W. 18.9 (117) d Natimuk United 4.2 (26). Home.
Round 9: L. 7.7 (49) to Swifts 18.7 (115). Away.
Round 10: Bye.
Round 11: W. 6.12 (48) d Rupanyup 6.11 (47). Home.
Round 12: W. 9.10 (64) d Kalkee 2.2 (14). Away.
Round 13: W. 8.9 (57) d Pimpinio 7.9 (51). Home.
Round 14: W. 11.6 (72) d Kaniva-Leeor Unit ed 2.1 (13). Home.
Round 15: W. 13.15 (93) d Taylors Lake 4.8 (32). Away.
Round 16: Bye.
Round 17: L. 7.8 (50) to Harrow-Balmoral 9.10 (64). Away.
Round 18: W. 18.10 (118) d Edenhope-Apsley 2.8 (20). Home.*
Robbie Miller 30, Shannon Argall 20, Josh Hutchinson 17, Daniel Easson 13.
Defensive
Experts in mortgage broking and lending
Making
That’s
BY COLIN MacGILLIVRAY
n the eve of the 2024 finals series, there is one thing Laharum co-coach Shannon Argall is certain of – few teams will relish the prospect of facing the Demons.
Laharum has returned to the finals for the first time since 2017, rebounding strongly from a winless wooden spoon campaign last year, thanks largely to its stifling defence.
The Demons are second only to undefeated reigning premier Harrow-Balmoral in limiting opposition scoring.
“Defensive pressure is our strength and that’s what we lean into. We’re a highly structured side defensively,”
“In terms of our personnel, we’ve got guys like Brett Ervin, Cody Richards and Jackson Price down there who do a fantastic job.
“We can try to go into a shootout, but at what cost? We just lean into the fact that we are a defensive side and we don’t normally kick huge scores ourselves, but that has been successful for us this year.”
Also aiding Laharum’s success has been a formidable on-ball unit that includes co-coach Robbie Miller, Daniel Easson and Reuben Launder, with Argall rucking.
Argall is also able to push forward to add height to a forward line that includes veteran Phil Butsch alongside emerging young players such as Pat Lattanzio. Argall said the finals series would be a learning experience for Laharum’s younger players.
“There’s a few guys who are really starting to get to that stage where they’ve got 50 senior games under their belt,” he said.
Robbie Miller
“This will be their first finals in Demons colours, but they’re really starting to grow and mature as players.”
Laharum will play an elimination final against Pimpinio on Sunday.
Their two previous encounters this season were decided by single-digit margins, and Argall said he expected the final to be no different.
But Argall said neither Pimpinio nor any other team in the finals would look forward to playing the Demons.
He said his young side would draw plenty of confidence from the fact that it has come closest to dealing HarrowBalmoral a loss this season in both of their encounters.
Laharum went down by only 16 points in their round six meeting with the Roos, and 14 points in round 17.
“We’ve been the closest to HarrowBalmoral out of all the sides this year, not only once, but twice, so we know we’re only a couple of goals off them in that particular matchup,” Argall said.
“That gives us confidence that we can compete with the best, and we haven’t had those aspira tions in previous years.
“It’s going to be a real coming of age for our young side.
“I think we’ve grown a hell of a lot this year.
“If we were to get a first final win, I don’t think anyone would be too enthu siastic about playing us, because there is a level of uncer tainty about playing Laharum.
Ervin
“We are a challenging and difficult side.”
Brett
Round 1: L. 8.7 (55) to Harrow-Balmoral 12.7 (79).
Round 2: W. 12.13 (85) d Edenhope-Apsley 3.5 (23).
Round 3: W. 14.9 (93) d Natimuk United 7.6 (48). Home.
Round 4: L. 8.15 (63) to Swifts 14.10 (94). Away.
Round 5: W. 18.14 (122) d Laharum 7.9 (51). Home.
Round 6: L. 9.7 (61) to Rupanyup 12.13 (85). Away.
Round 7: W. 14.12 (96) d Pimpinio 8.5 (53). Home.
Round 8: W. 10.5 (65) d Kalkee 7.12 (54). Away.
Round 9: W. 34.14 (218) d Kaniva-Leeor United 6.4 (40). Home.*
Round 10: W. 22.15 (147) d Taylors Lake 4.8 (32). Away. Round 11: Bye.
Round 12: W. 24.16 (160) d Edenhope-Apsley 2.7 (19). Home.
Round 13: L. 4.6 (30) to Harrow-Balmoral 19.22 (136). Away.**
Round 14: W. 12.11 (83) d Natimuk United 1.4 (10). Away.
Round 15: W. 12.9 (81) d Swifts 7.11 (53). Home.
Round 16: Bye.
Round 17: W. 21.13 (139) d Rupanyup 11.6 (72). Home.
Round 18: W. 15.13 (103) d Pimpinio 5.4 (34). Away.
Judah Hobbs 56, Brock Orval 27, Dawson Cross 25, Connor O’Beirne 20, James Gregg 17, Alex Ross 17.
BY LAUREN HENRY
It was another injury-plagued season, but this year Noradjuha-Quantong was blessed with more depth, which has held the Bombers in good stead ahead of finals.
The Bombers won 12 matches and lost four games in season 2024, with two losses coming against HarrowBalmoral, one by 106 points in round 13, and one each against Swifts and Rupanyup.
But it is the win against the Swifts in round 15 that stands out in senior coach Damian Cameron’s mind.
“I guess having a decent win over the Swifts a few weeks ago was a big one for us. It didn’t change ladder positioning or anything like that, but I guess it just puts a lot of confidence within the group that we are in among those top couple of teams and hopefully come finals we can have a good crack at doing something special,” he said.
Cameron said this season had presented its challenges along the way, but had panned out well as the year progressed.
“We dropped three games in the early part of the year, and we had a few injuries, which hurt in the end, but since we started getting guys back and getting some consistency within our team, we’re pretty happy with the way it’s finished off,” he said.
“I don’t think any particular guys have really been the standout throughout the whole year.
“It’s been a good spread across the team, which is sort of the way we set ourselves up – we don’t rely on one guy or two guys.”
However, Cameron did mention Judah Hobbs – a young player who played a variety of roles and kicked more than 50 goals this season.
“Dawson Cross is always super reliable, that’s huge for us also,” he said.
The Bombers’ injury curse continued in 2024 – continuing on from the past couple of seasons, but this year didn’t prove as costly due to the club’s depth.
“We’ve had some shocking luck with injuries for a few years now,” Cameron said.
Brock Orval
run to finals
“Even this year, through the middle part of the year, we were missing up to six or seven good players from our senior side.
“But we’re lucky we’ve a good seconds side as well, and the guys that come in played their roles for the senior team as well.
“It was hard to manage when you’re playing against the good sides and you’re missing half a dozen key players.”
Cameron said with the Bombers finishing third, it meant no second chances in the finals.
“With the top six if you don’t finish top two, there’s no second chance,” he said.
“So, I think it’s just week at a time and looking at who you are playing and making sure you are setting up well against that opposition.”
Noradjuha-Quantong will face Rupanyup in an elimination final on Saturday – a team the Bombers beat by 67 points earlier this month.
Cameron said the Bombers would take confidence from their recent match into the finals.
“We don’t really have a goal as to how far we want to go, but there has been some confidence through the group after beating Swifts, who
are a clear second on the ladder,” he said.
“If we can have those kind of per formances come finals, hopefully we can play three or four finals.”
But, there is no doubt HarrowBalmoral is the top dog in district league, after not losing a game so far this season.
“We gave them a bit of a run for their money earlier in the season, and we felt like we had a lot of improvement to do from there,” Cameron said.
“This sort of gave us hope, but then through the middle of the year, they give us a fair old touch up.
“That brought us back down to earth a bit, I guess, and made us realise how much hard work is in volved if you want to match it with the likes of Harrow.
“Since then, we’ve some guys back from injury who have played some better footy, and I think that kick in the bum maybe came at a good time, so we know there was a bit of a gap to close.
“But come finals time, if you play the right type of footy, then any thing’s possible.”
Players to watch
suited to a role across half forward than in the middle as he is capable of turning a game in a hurry. Orval will be hoping to add to his tally of 27 goals this season and be a key factor in Noradjuha-Quantong’s finals
Judah Hobbs
The youngster, who has returned football after a four-year absence, has become a deep key forward for the Bombers. He has managed to kick more than 50 goals this season and has given the Bombers something they have missed for a number of years – a key
Dylan Shelley Shelley joined the club this season but unfortunately had a lengthy lay-off due to injury. He is an extremely versatile player who can play on key forwards but also has the ability to go forward if required.
Hallett has had another good season, named in the best players in 12 of his 16 games this season. His pressure on opponents and ability to win the footy are key assets to the Bombers.
James Hallet
Judah Hobbs
Swifts’ road to the finals
Coach: Brett Hargreaves
Round 1: W. 22.13 (145) d Kalkee 12.5 (77). Away.
Round 2: W. 23.17 (155) d Kaniva-Leeor United 5.3 (33). Home.
Round 3: W. 29.15 (189) d Taylors Lake 3.3 (21). Away.
Round 4: W. 14.10 (94) d Noradjuha-Quantong 8.15 (63). Home.
Round 5: L. 14.6 (90) d Harrow-Balmoral 18.7 (115). Away.
Round 6: W. 10.11 (71) d Edenhope-Apsley 7.6 (48). Home.
Round 7: W. 23.15 (153) d Natimuk United 6.7 (43). Away.
Round 8: Bye.
Round 9: W. 18.7 (115) d Laharum 7.7 (49). Home.
Round 10: W. 18.22 (130) d Rupanyup 8.9 (57). Away.
Round 11: W. 11.12 (78) d Pimpinio 5.13 (43). Home.
Round 12: W. 14.10 (94) d Kaniva-Leeor United 4.3 (27). Away.
Round 13: W. 17.16 (118) d Kalkee 7.5 (47). Home.
Round 14: Bye.
Round 15: L. 7.11 (53) to Noradjuha-Quantong 12.9 (81). Away.**
Round 16: L. 12.6 (78) to Harrow-Balmoral 16.14 (110). Home.
Round 17: W. 24.14 (158) d Edenhope-Apsley 6.6 (42). Away.
Round 18: W. 30.15 (195) d Natimuk United 9.5 (59). Home.*
Paul Summers 115, Cameron Wickham 34, Kobe Lowe 18, Ryan Folkes 18, Noah Stirling 16.
Consistency
BY LAUREN HENRY
Astrongstart followed by a consistent season and a secondplace finish on the Horsham District ladder has pleased Swifts’ senior football personnel.
The 2024 season has seen the Swifts win 13 matches, and lose just three – two of which were against the undefeated Harrow-Balmoral.
The Baggies’ wins were all by convincing margins – a feat that was helped by the fact their full forward Paul Summers kicked 115 goals this year.
Swifts senior coach Brett Hargreaves said with such a consistent season he had long been preparing for a second semi-final against Harrow-Balmoral.
“I’m trying to make sure that it’s not lost on the blokes what an opportunity it is, like these opportunities don’t come around very often,” he said.
“Players go through their whole careers without playing finals or winning a final, so I’m just trying to instil that into them – that what they’ve got in front of them is a bit special.”
Ryan Folkes
Hargreaves said Harrow-Balmoral had been the benchmark of the Horsham District league, but finals matches could often throw up unexpected results.
Players to watch key for Swifts
“Obviously they haven’t lost for two years, and Noradjuha-Quantong are a hard match up on their day, but I’m just hoping we can get in there and give it our best shot against Harrow,” he said.
“History is littered with plenty of undefeated teams getting rolled.”
Hargreaves pinpointed one match in particular during the season that was crucial to the Swifts’ season.
“Trying to get the double chance, especially with Noradjuha-Quantong being the third-placed side, beating them at home when they came to play us the first time was critical,” he said.
“We took the four points off them and gave them to ourselves, so I was really pleased we got that over the line.
“That probably stands out as one that we really needed to win to keep that double chance.
“Teams over the last probably 10 or whatever years, I don’t know if any teams have won the flag without the double chance.”
Hargreaves said the Swifts have been hit by injuries and suspensions to key position players – which at times had hurt them.
“We’ve had a few players get suspended for chunks of time,” he said.
“It’s probably nothing malicious in those either – it’s just the way the rules are interpreted now with the tackling. “If they get hurt, you’re in trouble.
“We’ve had some injuries to some key players that we’ve had to manage as well.
“But the thing about us this year is we actually had some depth, which has been good.
“We’ve had some really good re serves players able to come into the senior lineup and fill a role.
“Years gone by, you might just be picking your best reserves player, but we’ve built up depth now ... which has been pretty handy for us.”
Hargreaves named the Swifts best players this season as Summers and Ryan Folkes.
“They’re equally as important,” he said.
“Paul, he’s the leading goal-kicker in the league and I think Ryan will go close to winning the league medal.
“He’s been on ball and he’s just an ab solute beast, the way he’s been explod ing away from packs.
“He’s been a Swift player his whole life, but he’s come and gone a little bit between us and Great Western, and he came back this year and I just knew there was something special going on.”
Paul Summers
Summers was the first key forward to pass the century for goals in a number of years. His total of 115 goals during the home and away season has won him the goal-kicking award for the league, well and truely ahead of the next best on 56 goals. He has kicked 10 goals or more on four occasions this season, including the past two matches leading into finals, and has been named in the best in 12 games. He gives the Swifts a real focal point up forward and has kicked big bags of goals against the top teams. If this continues in finals, the Baggies are a real threat.
Ryan Folkes
The key midfielder returned to the club this season. Folkes is explosive out of the contest and uses the football extremely well, often hitting his leading forwards. He has been named in the best in 12 of the 14 games he has played this season. Folkes has proved himself as one of the league’s best in season 2024.
Scott Carey
The veteran rarely plays a bad game. Carey is a three-time Dellar Medallist. He is a silky skilled left-footer who is the heart and soul of the team.
Brett Hargreaves
The playing coach not only provides on-field leadership to the Swifts, but is a pretty handy player himself. His desire to win the flag will inspire the Baggies during finals.
Paul Summers
Coach: Jai Thompson
Round 1: W. 12.7 (79) d Noradjuha-Quantong 8.7 (55). Away.
Round 2: Bye.
Round 3: W. 24.16 (160) d Edenhope-Apsley 3.8 (26). Home.
Round 4: W. 22.12 (144) d Natimuk United 10.9 (69). Away.
Round 5: W. 18.7 (115) d Swifts 14.6 (90). Home.
Round 6: W. 8.6 (54) d Laharum 6.2 (38). Away.**
Round 7: W. 13.19 (97) d Rupanyup 11.11 (77). Home.
Round 8: W. 21.12 (138) d Pimpinio 8.12 (60). Away.
Round 9: W. 26.12 (168) d Kalkee 3.8 (26). Home.
Round 10: W. 32.14 (206) d Kaniva-Leeor United 2.4 (16). Away.
Round 11: W. 28.26 (194) d Taylors Lake 2.4 (16). Home.
Round 12: Bye.
Round 13: W. 19.22 (136) d Noradjuha-Quantong 4.6 (30). Home.
Round 14: W. 21.19 (145) d Edenhope-Apsley 2.3 (15). Away.
Round 15: W. 32.19 (211) d Natimuk United 5.1 (31). Home.*
Round 16: W. 16.14 (110) d Swifts 12.6 (78). Away.
Round 17: W. 9.10 (64) d Laharum 7.8 (50). Home.
Round 18: W. 18.26 (134) d Rupanyup 3.2 (20). Away.
Jai Thompson 52, Cody Deutscher 46, Nick Pekin 45, Michael Close 34, Rhys Daffey 29, Mitchell Grant 26, Ethan Appleton 22.
Adopting
Jai Thompson
Protecting Australians Since 1975
BY COLIN MacGILLIVRAY
It would be fair to reason that Harrow-Balmoral – the Horsham District league’s reigning premier, which just completed a second straight undefeated home-and-away campaign – enters the 2024 finals with the most expectations on its shoulders.
But coach Jai Thompson maintains that his side sees itself as the hunter, not the hunted.
For Thompson, this year has been about integrating a key group of young players into the Roos’ line-up while maintaining the competitiveness that powered them to last season’s premiership.
“Coming in, we had a different-look team this year to what we had last year,” he said.
“We had to work on a few different ways that we were going to play because we had a lot of youth coming in after we lost a lot of experience and a lot of goals from last year.
“Our biggest tick was to get these young guys in and teach them a game plan that they could play, and get them involved in senior footy at a pretty high level.”
the right mindset
Among the incoming players to impress Thompson are hard-running small forward Rhys Daffey, who booted 23 goals in the final six games of the season, and half-back flanker George Austin, who plays with nous beyond his years.
The Roos’ young brigade has slotted seamlessly into a team that is still laden with veteran talent.
Captain Anthony Close rucks to a strong onball division including Will Plush and Peter Staude, while Thompson, Nick Pekin and Cody Deutscher have combined for 143 goals this season.
Key forward Michael Close enters the finals nursing a calf injury, but with the Roos claiming a first-week bye courtesy of their minor premiership, could push for a return in the second semi-final against Swifts.
Also important in that game will be key defender Josh Dawson, whose ability to intercept the ball across half back will be integral to curbing the impact of league-leading goal-kicker Paul Summers.
Thompson said his team had the requisite talent to win back-to-back premierships, but would need to maintain the right mindset.
“A second premiership is absolutely harder to win than a first,” he said.
“There’s not many teams that can go
back-to-back or come back with the same attitude and same mindset to be able to compete at the same level. It’s very hard.
“I’ve been lucky enough to be in a position to do it before.
“When you’re in a position to try and win your first one, you’ll do anything to win it.
“You’ll run through a brick wall to be able to get there, but when you’ve got that first one it’s easy to sit back and say
‘we’ve won it now’.
“If we can see ourselves as hunting other teams down rather than being chased by everyone else, then we can continue to get better.
“That’s been our mindset the whole year.
“We want to continue to get better and not rest on our lau rels and what we’ve done.
“We want to strive to set that bar even higher.”
Players to watch
Jai Thompson
The tough on-baller and inspirational coach has had a standout season. He pushes forward and hits the scoreboard. He is a favourite for the Dellar Medal this year and has his team primed to win its second premiership in two years.
Michael Close
The former Brisbane Lion has dominated across half forward this year. His ability to work hard to help his defence and then push forward to provide a target has seen him dominate marking contests. A calf injury might curtail his influence on the early finals games the Roos play.
Playing more as a forward than an onballer, the former coach is tough at the contest and dangerous in the air. If not given the respect he deserves he can quickly carve up opposition teams.
Cody Deutscher
Tall, skilled and versatile, Deutscher is a proven finals performer, already having won two premierships with 2018 and 2019. He returned to the side this season after two years at Coleraine to great effect, booting 46 goals, and has the ability to play multiple positions.
HARROW-BALMORAL FOOTBALL NETBALL CLUB
Nick Pekin
Nick Pekin
Kaniva-Leeor United’s road to the finals
Coach: Kylie King
Round 1: W. 56 d Natimuk United 21. Home.
Round 2: L. 40 to Swifts 49. Away.
Round 3: L. 46 to Laharum 63. Home.
Round 4: L. 45 to Rupanyup 49. Away.
Round 5: W. 53 d Pimpinio 28. Home.
Round 6: L. 32 to Kalkee 55. Away.**
Round 7: Bye
Round 8: W. 45 d Taylors Lake 38. Home.
Round 9: L. 33 to Noradjuha-Quantong 66. Away.
Round 10: W. 56 d Harrow-Balmoral 34. Home.
Round 11: L. 45 to Edenhope-Apsley 52. Away.
Round 12: W. 59 d Swifts 47. Home.*
Round 13: W. 48 d Natimuk United 45. Away.
Round 14: L. 41 to Laharum 70. Away.
Round 15: L. 35 to Rupanyup 53. Home.
Round 16: W. 51 d Pimpinio 39. Away.
Round 17: L. 45 to Kalkee 60. Home.
Round 18: Bye.
* Highest score ** Lowest score
Total: Won: 7. Lost: 9. For: 730. Against: 769.
Points: 28. Percentage: 94.93.
Players to watch
Nikki Hawker
Hawker has stepped up to the goal attack position beautifully this season. Having played every game, she has shot 273 goals, with her highest scoring game against the Swifts in round 12 where she netted 31 goals.
Ruby Gordon
The Cougars goal-keeper is a young gun to watch both in this finals series and the future. Also playing in the 15 and Under team, Gordon plays mostly de fence in A Grade but can play either end of the court.
Versatility vital
BY LAUREN HENRY
hen Kaniva-Leeor United pulled together four quarters and showed a true team effort this season, the results spoke for themselves.
Finishing in sixth spot on the ladder on 28 points, just sneaking in ahead of Swifts and Natimuk on 24 points, the Cougars had a winloss record of 7-9.
They will need to draw on everything they have when they play Rupanyup in an elimination final at Harrow on Saturday.
A Grade coach Kylie King said the side had set a goal in the preseason to make finals –and had now achieved that.
“We wanted to make the six, where we finished there really wasn’t a priority,” she said.
“Once you’ve made the six, anything can
“So just finishing in the top six has been the target and that has been met and we can tick
“Now we’ve got to look to the business end, now that we’ve made it, and we start
King said significant injuries to key players early in the season had impacted the Cougars’
“Halfway through the season our position wasn’t looking great, so to dig deep, despite having, I would say, a horror run with injuries for the season, which was something that our players all overcame, I’m really thrilled for them that they could do that,” she said.
“We lost our goal shooter in round
Kaniva-Leeor United Football Netball Club
one to an ACL knee injury, and then we lost our goal attack in about round five or six with a broken hand, so she missed seven weeks of the season.
“To overcome all of that and still place in the top six, I’ve been really thrilled.”
King said the Cougars were blessed with versatile players and the ability to draw on players from lower grades to cover the injuries.
“Luckily we had enough depth in the club that we could draw on a couple of our B Grade players to come up and help fill spots, but we also had, right from the start of the season at selections time, a really versatile side,” she said.
“So I was able to take my two defenders, and put them into those goal shooting positions, and they proved to be outstanding.
“Being able to switch ends like that and having a versatile side was probably the key to being able to hang in there.”
The win over the Swifts in round 12, where the Cougars won 59-47 was a standout game in the eyes of King.
“The second time we met Swifts and beat them, I think that was our turning point,” King said.
“That was a pivotal game that if we hadn’t won, I reckon our season was probably in doubt. And then getting that late win against Pimpinio was also crucial. They were the two in the second half of the season that we really focused on making sure we got those four points.”
Heads held high
BY LAUREN HENRY
With a new-look lineup in 2024, Edenhope-Apsley A Grade certainly hasn’t produced the same results as the previous two seasons that resulted in premiership success.
Last year the Saints enjoyed a 10-goal win against Laharum in the grand final.
But the Saints had a mass exodus of high-level netballers over the summer, and went into this season with just one regular A Grade player, Lavinia Fox, still in their side.
From the outset, co-coaches Sarah Domaschenz and Paris Hardwick earmarked this season as a rebuilding year.
But for a team rebuilding, achieving a win-loss record of 9-7 and sitting in fifth position on the ladder has to be judged as higher than a pass mark.
Tahlia Sailor, a new recruit from Donald, stepped up to play a key role in the goal ring, while Domaschenz and Fox regularly featured in the Saints’ best players.
“Lavinia has been a key in our attacking end, and Rebecca Heath has been consistent in defence and remarkable in playing with a different defender almost every week,” Hardwick said.
“Jasmine McIntyre has been another standout – as our junior development player, she has cemented a full-time position in our A Grade side after playing back-to-back games as an Under 17 player.”
Hardwick said the co-coaches had been appreciative of the support, cohesiveness and culture at Edenhope-Apsley Football Netball Club.
“Our main challenge has been player availability –after losing 27 senior players last year, we have been short on numbers,” she said.
“However we have always ran our A and B squad together so our A Grade is always well supported.”
Hardwick said despite the challenges, the aim for the Saints was to go as deep into the finals as pos sible.
“We are proud of our efforts this season and for securing a finals position,” she said.
“Our first final is the first time this season that we have the ability to select from a full A Grade side.”
Hardwick said a highlight of the Saints’ season was its match against Noradjuha-Quantong in round 12.
“We knew this would be a difficult game. We had a depleted team but were incredibly proud of our side after beating a top three side,” she said.
“We held our heads high and remained composed to come away with the four points.”
The Noradjuha-Quantong win was part of a fourgame winning streak for the Saints in the middle part of the season, between rounds 11 and 14.
But Edenhope-Apsley hasn’t been in good form late in the season – losing the past three matches, including to Laharum by 55 goals on Saturday, and prior to that Swifts by two goals, and Natimuk by 15.
The Saints will need to recapture some of that mid-season magic in this week end’s elimination final against the fourthplaced Kalkee at Pimpinio on Sunday.
The two teams last played in round 10 where Kalkee won 45 to 36.
Co-coaches: Sarah Domaschenz and Paris Hardwick
Round 1: W. 53 d Taylors Lake 43. Away.
Round 2: L. 41 to Noradjuha-Quantong 59. Home.
Round 3: W. 56 d Harrow-Balmoral 43. Away.
Round 4: Bye.
Round 5: W. 48 d Natimuk United 37. Home.
Round 6: W. 48 d Swifts 41. Away.
Round 7: L. 45 to Laharum 47. Home.
Round 8: L. 22 to Rupanyup 58. Away.
Round 9: W. 57 d Pimpinio 31. Home.
Round 10: L. 36 to Kalkee 45. Away.
Round 11: W. 52 d Kaniva-Leeor 45. Home.
Round 12: W. 34 to Noradjuha-Quantong 28. Away.
Round 13: W. 68 d Taylors Lake 40. Home.*
Round 14: W. 39 d
Round
A versatile midcourt player, Kealy has played every game this season. She works well with fellow midcourters to force turnovers and give the Saints’ goalers opportunities to score.
Mia Peters
Jasmine McIntyre
to
Team effort wins
Coach: Paula Wiedermann
Round 1: W. 55 d Swifts 29. Home.
Round 2: L. 37 to Laharum 57. Away.
Round 3: W. 36 d Rupanyup 35. Home.
Round 4: W. 62 d Pimpinio 29. Away.
Round 5: Bye
Round 6: W. 55 d Kaniva-Leeor United 32. Home.
Round 7: W. 68 d Taylors Lake 30. Away.*
Round 8: L. 41 to Noradjuha-Quantong 48. Home.
Round 9: W. 65 d Harrow-Balmoral 30. Away.
Round 10: W. 45 d Edenhope-Apsley 36. Home.
Round 11: W. 56 d Natimuk United 34. Away.
Round 12: L. 31 to Laharum 53. Home.
Round 13: W. 59 d Swifts 33. Away.
Round 14: L. 27 to Rupanyup 35. Away.**
Round 15: W. 61 d Pimpinio 28. Home.
Round 16: Bye
Round 17: W. 60 d Kaniva-Leeor United 45. Away.
Round 18: W. 62 d Taylors Lake 19. Home.
* Highest score ** Lowest score
Total: Won: 12. Lost: 4. For: 820. Against: 573.
Points: 48. Percentage: 142.11.
Players to watch
Jarrah Martin
Having played most of the season in goals, Martin has shot 308, with her highest tally coming against Pimpinio in round four, scoring 40. The young gun is a development program success story, having played 17-and-under last year while playing A Grade.
Penny Fisher
The Horsham District netball veteran has been an experienced and steady hand in defence for Kalkee this season. Mostly playing at goal defence, Fisher has regularly featured in the best players.
BY LAUREN HENRY
or the past 10 years, there hasn’t been a season where Kalkee has not won a netball premiership at some level in Horsham District league.
But you have to look back to 2010 to find the last A Grade flag the Kees won.
It’s that elusive A Grade premiership that this year’s A Grade team is chasing.
But having finished fourth on the ladder, Kalkee will need to step up against a hotly-
Coach Paula Wiedermann said the Kees were aiming to make the grand final.
“We’ve had some fantastic games in the lead up to finals and hopefully we continue to get stronger with playing weekly,” she said.
“We have a few players at the moment who have been owning their positions recently, but our senior players, with their experience and knowledge in leading the team, will no doubt play a huge role for us in the finals.”
Wiedermann struggled to pinpoint standout players in her side this season, as the success of Kalkee’s top team relied on a team effort.
“Each team member knows what we are asking from them, especially in finals, and if each one does their job role, we should be able to have success,” she said.
Wiedermann said she was ‘extremely happy’ with the development of the A Grade team
“We have a very young side with over half of our players being 21
The Kalkee Football Netball Club would like to thank all their sponsors for their support over the 2024 season
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years and under. It’s a great balance with the experience of our senior players and for the future of our club for years ahead,” she said.
Kalkee went into season 2024 with an aim to develop its junior players, and they did that across all grades of senior netball.
“Due to having such a young development squad, like all country clubs, one of the challenges we were faced with was supporting these young players who have had to move away to develop their careers,” Wiedermann said.
“This was challenging as we had to find a balance between work and university commitments, trainings and game days.”
Kalkee had a 12-4 win-loss record this season, with its four losses including Laharum twice in round 12 by 22 goals and in round two by 20 goals; Noradjuha-Quantong in round eight by seven goals; and Rupanyup in round 14 by eight goals.
“Our second contest against Rupanyup for this year was certainly an important game for positioning on the ladder,” Wiedermann said.
“Knowing that we were the only team in the top four to play Laharum twice has been a disadvantage in the ladder positioning at the end of the season.”
To achieve their premiership dreams, Kalkee must first overcome Edenhope-Apsley in an elimination final on Sunday at Pimpinio. The winner will then play the winner of the other elimination final between Rupanyup and Kaniva-Leeor United in week two of the finals series.
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Jarrah Martin
Willing and able
BY LAUREN HENRY
Rupanyup will have to do it the hard way to win the premiership, but that’s exactly what its aim is in 2024.
After a strong finals series last year where they finished in sixth place but won their way through to the preliminary final, it was no surprise the Panthers went into season 2024 as one of the teams to beat. This season they have finished third on the District league A Grade ladder, with a 13-3 win-loss record. They were agonisingly short of second spot, and a double chance, by just 0.65 per cent.
But the Panthers can take confidence that those three losses, to Kalkee, one goal; Laharum, one goal; Noradjuha-Quantong, two goals; were matches that could have gone either way.
There’s been plenty to like about Rupanyup’s season, highlighted by a seven-game winning streak that was bought to an end by a one-goal loss to Laharum, the team which has ended the home-andaway season undefeated.
Mid-season recruits, defender Lucy Bussenschutt and goaler and midcourter Bianca Drum, have bolstered the Panthers’ stocks, providing more depth to the squad, and combining well with consistent performers such as defender Victoria Taylor and Gemma Morgan who has been one of Rupanyup’s big improvers this season.
A Grade coach Jedda Heard, who moving from Wimmera league club Horsham Demons to coach Rupanyup, has filled many holes this season, playing as a goaler, defender and midcourter.
Heard said the Panthers were striving to play in the grand final – and win it.
“There are things we still need to work on and we’ll be work ing on those throughout the finals series. But the goal is to go all the way,” she said.
Heard said coming into the season, the Panthers were low on numbers and needed to recruit.
“I think we’ve done re ally well considering we were a new team at the start of this year,” she said.
“We’ve worked on a lot of things and we’ve really grown as a team and con nected. There’s been things we’ve needed to work on, but we’ve been willing to.
“Putting in the time to do that has been really crucial.”
Heard said performances against top teams Laharum, Noradjuha-Quantong and Kalkee had given the Pan thers confidence.
“We know in our minds we can do it – we can beat those teams. Those games have all been very close. We probably did it ourselves – we threw too many away or made too many mistakes and that cost us,” she said.
Rupanyup will play Kaniva-Leeor United in an elimination final on Satur day at Harrow.
Round
38. Away.
Zanaiya Bergen
Bergen has provided a focal point in attack, and converting strongly – she shot 562 goals during the home-and-away season, which was second-highest goal tally in District league A Grade. Meg Cashin
After crossing this season from Wimmera league side Minyip-Murtoa, Cashin has been a consistent performer, providing stability in the midcourt.
Zanaiya Bergen
Coach: Fiona Rowe
Round 1: W. 58 d Harrow-Balmoral 33. Home.
Round 2: W. 59 d Edenhope-Apsley 41. Away.
Round 3: W. 48 d Natimuk United 20. Home.
Round 4: W. 62 d Swifts 37. Away.
Round 5: L. 33 to Laharum 36. Home.
Round 6: L. 41 to Rupanyup 51. Away.
Round 7: W. 53 d Pimpinio 29. Home.
Round 8: W. 48 d Kalkee 41. Away.
Round 9: W. 66 d Kaniva-Leeor United 33. Home.
Round 10: W. 79 d Taylors Lake 39. Away.
Round 11: Bye
Round 12: L. 28 to Edenhope-Apsley 34. Home.
Round 13: W. 69 d Harrow-Balmoral 32. Away.
Round 14: W. 66 d Natimuk United 32. Home.
Round 15: W. 53 d Swifts 32. Home.
Round 16: Bye
Round 17: W. 38 to Rupanyup 36. Home.
Round 18: W. 54 d Pimpinio 22. Away.
* Highest score ** Lowest score
Total: Won: 13. Lost: 3. For: 855. Against: 548.
Points: 52. Percentage: 156.02.
Brooke Pay
The ever-consistent goal defender leads by example every match. Every attacking player in the league finds it hard to match up on Pay, who the Bombers will rely on in finals.
Shannon Couch and Taylor Shelley
The Bombers goalers are both big-game players, with coach Fiona Rowe looking forward to seeing them step it up in the final series.
Positivity in play
Shelley
“I felt that all came together against the quality side of Rupanyup. We rate them extremely highly.”
Although finals are on their mind, the Bombers are taking it one week at a time.
“We’re not looking too far ahead, and we have been focusing on being mindful and being present,” Rowe said.
“Whether we finish second or third at the end of the day doesn’t matter because we will go and we’ll play any team that we come up against.
“We have a super bunch of girls who continue to challenge each other every week to become better.”
Rowe said for her, the highlight of the season was witnessing all the players ‘getting around each other and supporting each other’.
“Their commitment towards each other and their connection has just continued to flourish this year,” she said.
“They always get around each other, whether we’re down or whether we’re up, and it’s such a positive environment to be involved in.”
Rowe said goal defence Brooke Pay had been integral to the Bombers’ success this season.
“She is amazing on the court, she’s our leader,” she said.
“But at times everyone has stood up and played their role.”
Taylor
HDFNL FiNaLs
Time to reset
BY LAUREN HENRY
Red-hot favourite to win this year’s Horsham District Football Netball League A Grade netball premiership is the undefeated Laharum.
The Demons have won all 16 matches during the home-and-away season, with its closest games against Noradjuha-Quantong, Rupanyup and EdenhopeApsley, all with margins of less than five goals.
After coming off second best in the past two grand finals, Laharum will no doubt be eager to have its name etched on the A Grade premiership cup.
Despite one of the competition’s dominant sides in A Grade, it’s been five years since the Demons have won a premiership – although it was minor premier in 2021 during the COVID-19 interrupted season.
Led by captain Olivia Jones-Story in the centre, the Demons have many experienced netballers in their mix, including Iredell sisters – Ema and Maddie, and Caitlin Jones-Story.
None more so than their playing coach Rebecca McIntyre, a highly decorated player and coach in the Horsham District league, who has won five A Grade district league premierships – four with NoradjuhaQuantong in 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2012 and the Demons in 2019.
McIntyre, a key defender, said her team would use all their experience to thrive in the pressure of finals.
“We don’t get too far ahead of ourselves – we’ve been around for a long time,” she said.
“For us it’s not about anything that’s happened before. It’s what happens now. This is the best time of the year. That’s why we play – for finals – it’s what everyone plays for.”
McIntyre said despite being undefeated, her team would reset for finals because ‘the final se ries is where everyone starts on scratch’.
“Obviously everyone’s coming after us because we finished on top – we absolutely know that – but we welcome that and we challenge ourselves to continue to get better,” she said.
“We’re grateful to be in the position that we are, but we are also not complacent and continue to work really hard to step it up to that level we know we can play. But, we just come back to what we can do and what we can control, and that’s something that we’ve worked on a lot over the last few years, and something that we continue to keep making a prior ity is that we can only control us.”
McIntyre said she expected a close finals series.
“The final series is exciting because it’s so close. It’s probably the closest it’s been in a long time so we know on any given day, any team can win,” she said. “I don’t think we’ve had our best yet, so I look forward to hopefully challenging the girls to get that come next Saturday. This is it. This is what we play for and we will all be out there to give it our absolute best.”
Laharum will have a week’s rest before a sec ond semi-final against Noradjuha-Quantong on Saturday, August 31 at Edenhope.
Round
zling form late in the season and will be hoping to carry that good form as she takes on the league’s best shooters in the finals.
