Scrappy play and uncharacteristic errors marred much of the day as Bairnsdale travelled to unfamiliar surroundings to challenge a strong Moe lineup in round seven of the Gippsland League.
The Redlegs will reflect on a frustrating day at times, but they will still be pleased to have come away with three wins across the netball grades.
Bairnsdale’s “A” grade side was out of sorts and will feel they missed a major opportunity to reinforce their position at the top of the table. Dropping their second consecutive match, the Redlegs now find themselves third on the ladder.
In a performance riddled with inconsistency, the Redlegs started slowly, conceding several turnovers from forced attacking passes. Bairnsdale’s only bright spot came in the second quarter, where a change in the goaling positions created much-needed space and movement, helping open up a three-goal advantage at half time.
However, a flat third period handed the initiative back to the Lions, who dominated the midcourt. Moe transitioned at pace and intercepted regularly to create a nine-point swing and take full control. The Bairnsdale defence continued to work tirelessly in the final quarter, but it was not enough to lift the attacking end, with the 31-40 deficit a fair reflection of the day.
Sally Deller, Paris Dunkley and Alison Dwyer were the best for the Redlegs, while Anna Mooney finished with eight goals.
In “B” grade, the Redlegs delivered an impressive start, going neck-and-neck with their strong opponents until midway through the second quarter despite carrying injuries. The team showed plenty of early resilience and determination, but the physical toll began to tell as Moe took complete control to run out big winners, 72-44.
The passion and effort of Charli Young and Rose Langley was evident, but it was not enough to sustain a competitive edge across the full four quarters. Isla Pearson finished with 25 goals and Mia Ballinger shot 14.
The standout performance of the afternoon came from the “C” graders, who were chasing their second win of the season against a Lions side with three victories already to their name. Competitive throughout, accurate shooting and strong feeds were trademarks of Bairnsdale’s game. Trailing by five goals at half time, the Redlegs fired back to win the third quarter thanks to some brilliant defensive pressure, entering the final period sensing an upset. While it was not to be, falling just short 38-42, the side can draw plenty of positives from the effort. Annora Virgo (27 goals), Heidi Carter and Chloe Allan were standouts for Bairnsdale.
After a slow start, the second-ranked Bairnsdale under 17s eventually found their rhythm against the fourth-ranked Lions. The contest was even at the first break before some personnel switches helped the Bairnsdale girls lift their intensity.
Maizy Duck’s strong drives and brilliant feeds were pivotal, as were Olivia Pearson’s outstanding efforts in defence to create multiple turnovers. Bairnsdale maintained the momentum and, while not entirely convincing at times, had more than enough in reserve to secure a 48-38 win. Leading the way were Pearson, Rosalie Cawood, and Duck.
The third-placed Bairnsdale under 15s also ran out winners, 41-33, with Piper Crawley and Macy Brodribb starring, and Tulli McLeod shooting 31 goals.
The match of the day came in the under 13s, with Bairnsdale securing a hard-fought 26-24 win in a physical and intense contest. With the Redlegs seemingly in control, Moe mounted a late challenge as the crowd came alive, pushing hard to steal the match. Bairnsdale held on grimly, with Odette Cook outstanding in defence and best-on-court Ally Wood-Laird playing a crucial supportive role at wing defence. Luca Smith (14) and Olive Evans (12) both impressed under the ring.
Bairnsdale will host arch-rival Sale this week in a highly anticipated local derby.
