With four of five sides set to play finals in the 2024 Cleaning Melbourne senior winter netball competition, Watsonia netball coordinator Nicole Bennett is hoping that the efforts of the players can be rewarded with silverware throughout the next few weeks.
The Saints will have three teams in finals action tonight, with the club being represented in Division 6, 9 and 12, while Watsonia 2 only narrowly missed finals action in Division 6.
Their Division 2 team, Watsonia 1, are also on top of the ladder with one round to play, and can secure a double chance spot if they defeat third placed Greensborough 1.
Watsonia netball coordinator Nicole Bennett said the excitement around the club was profound, and that the chemistry illustrated throughout the teams this season has helped them reach this point of the competition.
“Every year we manage to sneak a few teams into the finals, but I think this year’s probably been one of the most successful years that we’ve had,” she said.
“We’ve managed to keep a few of the teams together over the last couple of years and they’re feeling quite excited about the fact that they’re seeing the development in their skill level… and that it’s actually starting to pay off on the court with everything they’re doing at training.
“We’re trying to contain the teams [for finals], but we want them to get the results because they’ve worked so hard to get to where they have.”
Watsonia 1’s season particularly has been outstanding, and they head into the final round of the regular season on a seven-game winning streak.
If the Saints do go all the way, it will be the first winter netball premiership from a Watsonia 1 team since 2015.
Bennett, who has played 12 games for Watsonia 1 this season, says while some important recruits such as goal attack Madison Thompson has helped the team go to another level, it’s been the fact that her teammates have played with each other for multiple years which has helped form a great trust between players on the court and in turn, translated to a successful campaign to date.
“There’s a solid five or six of us that have played together over the last few years, so over time, we’ve been able to develop as a group and I think now we’ve hit our stride with knowing how each other plays as well as having that trust of each other,” she said.
On top of that, Bennett added that there has been an emphasis on players enjoying their netball.
By being able to illustrate this in their training, Bennett believes it has played a major role in why so many of Watsonia’s netball teams will feature in finals action in 2024.
“We haven’t changed any of the processes that we’ve done, I just think that over the last few years, we’ve been trying to bring back the enjoyment for the girls and not allow them to put so much pressure on themselves to get the results on the scoreboard,” she said.
“This has probably been the most fun year we’ve had on the netball court which I think is showing in the way that we play and the results we’re having as well.
“All the work that the coaches and I are putting behind the scenes to get the girls to get back to enjoying the game that they love playing the sport rather than being focusing on the outcome. It has certainly made a massive impact on the court.”
While there’s plenty to look forward to at Watsonia over the next few weeks, Bennett also has one eye on the future of the club’s netball program in order to strengthen their standing in the NFNL competition, both currently at senior level but also at junior level in the years to come.
“We have floated the idea of starting a junior program, especially now that we have a few players who have children that are just starting to play junior netball, so I think over the next couple of years, it will be something we’d love to develop,” she said.
“Every year we end up having anywhere from 3-5 teams which is manageable, but I’d love to extend the program and get more coaches on board and get a bit more of a coaching team together so that we have coaches at all games, which will help keep girls engaged.
“Overall, we want to give anyone that comes to the club an opportunity to actually get on court and play. So, if that means more teams, then so be it, because we won’t turn anybody away.”
