Tara Murray
The Western Warriors finish to their inaugural Victorian Netball League championship summed up their season.
Like many games this season, the Warriors were right in the hunt for victory but couldn’t get across the line against the Wilson Storage Southern Saints.
The Saints did just enough, winning 55-53.
Warriors coach Kim Bailey said while disappointed not to get the win they finished on a positive note.
“Pipped at the post,” she said. “Just a poor pass cost us the game, but you can’t bring it down to one particular moment, we had opportunities.
“It was a much improved week from the last two weeks, that’s the positive we have to take out of it.
“I’m really pleased with that result, I would have liked to have won of course, it gives you hope we can keep building on that.”
The Saints were at full strength with Melbourne Vixens Lily Graham playing a whole game.
Bailey said her defenders in Jasmine Fraser and Elly Randell did a really good job.
Bailey said the most frustrating thing for her was knowing that the side could play like that, but haven’t been able to do it every week.
“We haven’t been able to put together a consistent effort together across the whole season,” she said.
“But that’s what happens when you’re a new club and we’ll just keep continuing to build on that and hopefully be bigger and better next season.”
The Warriors finish the season in 10th spot with six wins.
Bailey said while they weren’t happy to finish that low, they could have easily finished a lot higher.
“I think the draw has been so even this year that a lot of clubs are going to be disappointed with where they finished,” she said.
“But everyone kept being everyone and we’ve beaten a couple of bigger clubs or went down to them by one goal or things like that.
“There’s a lot of teams in our same position I think would be disappointed. But you know, it’s you look at the at one stage the top 10 could have virtually changed positions, that top 10 was really competitive.
“It’s been a competitive season. Ladder position is not everything, tonight we played in the right spirit.”
The Warriors under-23s finished with two wins on the trot, beating the Saints, 56-43.
Bailey said it was an amazing win and it was how they knew the group could play the whole season.
The Warriors will now start to look ahead to next season.
“It comes about quickly,” Bailey said. “Signing comes around in August for the existing players, not quite sure how long.
“You can’t train until November. There’s a lot of tired bodies out there.
“Have that break and start again next year and hopefully be bigger and better.”
