Tara Murray
Woodend-Hesket will take plenty from its first Riddell District Netball League A-grade grand final after it ended in disappointment.
In a history-making season for the Hawks, which saw a first A-grade finals appearance and then grand final, they weren’t able to go that last step.
Facing Diggers Rest, which was also searching for its first A-grade premiership, it was the experience of the Burras that showed through.
The Hawks shot the first two goals, before the Burras got the next six. The margin stayed between two and four goals for the rest of the first half.
The Hawks rang the changes at half time and it looked to work early as they reduced the margin to one goal.
From there a couple of turnovers and missed shots saw the Burras get the next six goals. From there it was all the Burras as they came away with the premiership, winning 40-32.
Hawks playing coach Meg Grbac said while it was a disappointing result, there were still so many positives.
“That was the big message to the girls that we had nothing to lose today,” she said.
“We are so proud of how far the club has come this year, not just the A-grade team, but the 19s and their success in finals as well.
“We feel like we are really starting to build, come back hopefully better and stronger next year, learn from this and take the positives of what we can.”
Grbac said in the end that Diggers Rest was the better side on the day having brought their a-game.
She said there were some nerves early in the game.
“I think generally expected with finals netball it gets a bit ratty and frantic and it was definitely expected,” she said.
“We weren’t able to convert on those turnovers when we needed to, but that’s alright, we learn from that and hopefully come bigger and stronger.
Grbac said the changes in the third quarter were some that had worked throughout the season.
She said this time they didn’t work out how they would have liked.
“It wasn’t just the shots [they missed] but the consistency of putting in four 15 minute quarters,” she said.
“I think we played good in patches and were able to come back within a goal, but we weren’t able to do it for the whole 15 minutes.
“We’ve got a few youngsters in the side playing their first senior finals. They’ll learn from it.”
