Harper Sercombe
Riddell’s Ellen Close has won the Ryan medal in a three-way tie for the Riddell District Netball Leagues best and fairest.
Close won it alongside Wallan’s Gemma Grimmond and Woodend-Hesket’s Tayissa Coppinger, who was also last year’s winner.
Close is captain of the Bombers and led her side to a grand final this season.
However, the Bombers fell agonisingly short of premiership success, losing just their second game of the season as they were defeated by the Hawks by 11 goals in overtime a couple of weeks ago.
Despite the Bombers’ fantastic season, Close was not expecting to win the Ryan medal.
“I definitely didn’t go in thinking I had any sort of chance,” she said.
“It’s very, very pleasing and I’m very humbled to receive the award because I know how hard it is to get.”
Close followed in her sister, Lauren’s, footsteps as she won the award years ago.
“We got there (the awards night) and we were looking at the brochure they have on the table and it was literally 10 years since Lauren won it,” Close said.
“So that was pretty cool to be able to share something so special with her.”
On top of sharing the award with her sister, Close said it was a “cool” feeling sharing the award with two other women on the night.
“I used to play VNL (Victorian Netball League) with Ty [Coppinger] so I knew that she’s a quality player within her own right so that was pretty special to be able to share that with her,” she said.
“I’ve played against Gemma [Grimmond] for many, many years now, and I know how much of a quality player she is, so to be able to share it with her was pretty cool as well.
“It’s nice to know that you’re up there with people that have stuck around the league for quite a while and are doing some good things as well.”
Close said another year of development and chemistry building with some of her newer teammates took her game to the next level, culminating in winning this award.
“Last year was my first year playing with Shelby [Holter], our goal shooter, and I think our connection has only grown stronger,” she said.
“Then to have Maddy Brown and Ruby Shannon out in front of me, it was the first time we’d played together, so I felt like I was pretty lucky in goals to have the ball handed to me on the plate.
“And to play out in wing attack a bit, was a nice experience and something that I hadn’t really done before, so that was a nice little change up this season.”
While the grand final loss still stings for Close, she said the Bombers are ready to go for season 2024.
“It’s been a pretty deep reflective time, not only for me but the club and everyone who played in that game,” she said.
“To know that we are a brand new team basically and to come from six goals down at three quarter time is something pretty special, and something we can definitely take positives out of going into next year.
“Hopefully, we can just continue to build that bond within our group and hopefully take home the cup next year.”
