2020-21 Summer Netball Grand Finals Review

A review of the 2020-21 Summer Netball grand finals, which were played at La Trobe Sports Stadium on Friday 26.

Natasha Atkinson-Brown led Fitzroy Stars 1 to victory over Hume 1 in the 2020-21 Summer Section 1 grand final.

Already crowned the season’s best and fairest winner and Star Shooter, Atkinson-Brown added the best on court medallion in the grand final to her collection – shooting 40 goals in the 45-28 victory.

The Stars won the toss and came out firing, with Atkinson-Brown scoring three consecutive goals to put her team ahead in the opening minute.

Atkinson-Brown’s efforts were matched by her defensive teammates, with Leah Seeto and Jessica Bamblett working tirelessly to force errors from the Hume shooters, with Seeto securing two early intercepts.

Fitzroy Stars worked to maintain their lead, with centre court players Hinemoa Collier and Akanisi Seeto feeding strong passes to Atkinson-Brown under the net.

Hume goalkeeper Fakapale Falesiu remained determined and ensured that every misplaced lob to her opponent was her intercept.

Fitzroy dominated across court, with their communication exemplary as they made their way down the court.

Hume was forced into a different approach, with the pressure applied by the Stars forcing them into a rushed style, in an attempt to make up for previous errors.

Communication between each other and having their hands over every pass resulted in the Fitzroy Stars forcing held balls, deflections and turnovers.

Captain for Hume, Chloe Meulenmeesters, converted a total of 25 goals to keep her team in the game for as long as possible, but Fitzroy’s momentum proved too difficult to overcome.

Leading by 13 at the last break, the Stars played the final quarter with extreme patience, trying new defensive lifts in the circle and enjoying their time on court together as a team.

Fitzroy Stars 1 cemented their position as the top team in Section 1, with a 17-goal victory.

Northcote Park 1 came from fourth place on the ladder to win the Section 2 premiership.

After downing ladder-leader Hume 2 in the semi-final, the Cougars took out the flag after securing an eight-goal grand final victory over Bundoora 3, winning 23-15

Northcote Park started off strongly, establishing a lead early and continued to build their tally on the scoreboard in each quarter.

Goal attack for Northcote Park, Jessica Mandile, showed her strength in the circle, shooting consecutive long-range goals and formed a strong combination with her teammate Christie Delauney.

The Bulls defence spoke loud and clear to each other, forcing pressure in the attacking end for Northcote Park, causing two held balls as half time approached.

Mandile and Delauney succeeded in gaining their own offensive rebounds for the Cougars, converting goals that would have turned missed opportunities if left untouched.

Northcote Park began the second half with a four-goal lead, with the third term seeing heightened pressure from both defences – with both sides managing just three goals each for the quarter.

Bundoora wing defence, Bella Collodetti, forced three errors from Northcote Park in the final quarter in an attempt to keep her team in the game.

Bundoora’s defensive combination of Iris Bentley and Aleigha Walters maintained a solid three feet, working to shut down Mandile in the circle.

A simultaneous caution for rough play for both Northcote Park’s Bianca Jones and Bundoora’s Collodetti set the tone for the final five minutes of the game, as both sides threw everything at the contest.

Northcote Park lengthened their advantage to eight goals with only a few seconds to go – denying Bundoora any chance to take possession and get back into the contest.

Heidelberg 1 defeated the top-of-the-table Mernda by seven goals to secure the flag in Section 3.

The Tigers rose to the challenge in the grand final, securing an early lead and steadily adding goals thereafter in the 28-21 victory.

The focal point for the first quarter was the Heidelberg attacking circle, as Mernda keeper Rebecca Budge tightly contested every pass received by her opposing shooter, Arna Moore.

Heidelberg centre, Haylee Murphy, forced two throw-ins in the centre court; allowing her side to capitalise from the turnovers and convert a total of eight goals in the first quarter – giving the Tigers a five-goal led at the first break.

Emily Rowe put her body on the line for Heidelberg under the post, doing whatever was necessary to turnover ball from goalkeeper. Going to ground twice in the space of four minutes, Rowe secured five turnovers in the second quarter.

Centre for Heidelberg, Isabella Rowe, took advantage of every intercept opportunity as the ball approached the Mernda goal circle, collecting more than five misdirected passes from opponents.

Her efforts throughout the match were duly recognised, winning the best on court award.

The Tigers’ defensive pressure was less effective in the second half, with Mernda playing a fast game and at one point scoring five consecutive goals.

Heidelberg contrasted Mernda’s fast game play with long and patient passes, sticking to their original game plan and feeding shooters Stephanie Shaw and Arna Moore lobs under the post.

A goal on the siren from Mernda goal shooter, Latesha Hardaway was not enough to defeat Heidelberg, whose accurate shooting efforts in the fourth quarter ensured they brought home the flag with comfort.

Heat 2 cruised to victory in the Section 4 grand final, claiming a 25-goal victory over Lalor 2.

Heat extended their advantage in every quarter and went on with the job in the final term, when they piled on 14 goals to four to extend to a 41-16 victory.

Heat established an early margin after winning the toss and scoring three successive goals after capitalising on errors from their Lalor opponents.

Goal attack Brooke Webster slotted seven goals for Heat in the first quarter, working in combination with centre court players Vanessa McLennan and Marnie Kirby to patiently work the ball down the court and through the hoop.

Lalor goal defence, Valiecia Kelly-Briggs, worked relentlessly to defend lobs to Webster, who had a significant height advantage in the circle.

Leading into the second half, it seemed as though Heat was controlling the game. Playing patiently with many passing options across court, they utilised every player.

The third quarter drew focus to the Section 4 Star Shooter, Lalor’s Jessica Mitchell, who was met with body-on-body defence from Sarah Glanfield.

Glanfield navigated the circle well, reading cross court passes and coming up with intercepts, which helped put her team ahead by 15 heading into the final quarter. Her efforts were recognised with the best on court award.

Lalor played a faster game in the fourth quarter, adjusting their original plan in an attempt to narrow Heat’s lead. The Bloods played fast, passing the ball to the first option available.

Unfortunately, this approach was met with even stronger Heat defence, particularly from Rachel Cullum, who took advantage of small errors to turnover balls for her team.

Goal shooter, Navia Krishna, converted 12 goals in the final quarter for Heat, putting them well in front to take home the flag.

In other results, Heidelberg West 1 claimed a one-goal win over Greensborough 1 in the Section 5 grand final.

No more than one goal separated the teams at any of the quarter breaks, with the Hawks claiming a 27-26 win.

Greensborough’s Belinda Giouskos was named best on court after an excellent game at wing attack.

Heidelberg West goal shooter Hailey Bynon – who claimed the Section 5 Star Shooter – finished with 21 goals.

Bynon started the match in red-hot form, shooting all nine of the Hawks’ goals in the first term, before adding another four in each of the remaining quarters.

Nine consecutive fourth-quarter goals saw Thomastown 2 come from behind to defeat Bundoora 7 in the Section 6 decider.

The Bulls led for most of the game, until Thomastown found a late burst of energy and overturned a two-goal deficit at three quarter time to win 24-18.

Jorden Fonua shot three long range goals for Thomastown to bring her side back into the game with five minutes to go. Fonua joined goal shooter, Caitlan McLauchlan to shoot nine consecutive goals and hand Thomastown the premiership win.

Thomastown’s Rechelle McSwain collected the best on court medallion.

Meanwhile, Bundoora 8 also came from behind to win the Section 7 flag – with the Bulls scoring five of the last seven goals to win 15-14 against Montmorency 5.

Both clubs again rose to the challenge in the grand final after scoring semi-final wins against high ranked opponents.

It took four minutes for the ball to first go through the net, nerves were present for both teams and it was obvious they were impacting the game.

Montmorency led by four goals at half time, however the Bulls used rolling substitutions to ensure their team was well rested and full of energy late in the match.

Bundoora was able to edge its way in front when it mattered most – despite the best efforts of Montmorency’s competition best and fairest Melanie Gilbert, who claimed the best on court award.