A Giant threat

BY MICHAEL SCALZO

TheWimmera league’s most northern competitors were an ever-present threat to the top half of the A Grade netball ladder in 2022 and showed flashes of premiership potential.

Supporters and league rivals will not have to wait long this season to know whether Giants netballers have reached the next level.

The A Grade squad will test itself against last season’s best early, with fixtured clashes against Minyip-Murtoa, Horsham Saints and Dimboola in rounds three, four and five, respectively.

The Giants had an, at times, inconsistent 2022 season.

They lost to eventual fifthplaced finisher Minyip-Murtoa in round four by 11 goals, drew with seventh-placed Stawell Warriors in round seven and lost to sixth-placed Ararat by three goals in round 15.

However, the Giants did come within 10 goals of eventual premier Horsham Saints in round nine and five goals of runner-up Horsham Demons in round 14.

The Saints sent them packing in the preliminary final, entering

CoaChes

A Grade: Steph Thomson and Jodie Hayes

B Grade: Tess Vallance

C Grade: TBC

C Reserve: TBC

17-and-under: TBC

15-and-under: TBC

13-and-under: TBC their final half-game of the season only two goals down – even if the Saints were 16 goals their better by the final whistle.

Yet to appear in a Wimmera league grand final since the club joined the competition in 2018, netball leaders would be eager to not let slip the yard stick its A Grade side set by finishing as minor premiers during the COVID-interrupted 2021 season.

Incoming co-coaches and Giants’ on-court linchpins Steph Thomson and Jodie Hayes will lead the squad in place of former coach Anthony Schache.

Thompson, who shot 328 goals in 2022, and her shooting part- ner Zali Brown, who shot 469, should be just as dangerous in 2023 as they were last season.

Hayes, 2021 Hatcher Medal winner, will continue to lead up-and-coming young players including defender Abby White and Mackenzie Bellinger from the midcourt, as she has for some time.

Outgoing Giants netball president Nicki Bellinger said in her post-season 2022 president’s report that 2022 ‘wasn’t their time’.

Wimmera league aficionados know the Giants will not circle the grand-final stage forever and most would agree with the club leaders’ comment.

Before the 2022 finals series, Schache said his A Grade squad had been ‘inconsistent’ at times throughout the season.

“We have strung some good games together and played some pretty poor games, but we did give ourselves the opportunity,” he said.

If the Giants string more of their high-class performances together in 2023, it might be the year the Giants stand on the stage, rather than beside it.