General News
23 September, 2021
McGuigan, Killen win Mininera netball best and fairests
A LAST minute twisting of the arm to play netball turned into one of the better decisions Woorndoo Mortlake defender Erin McGuigan has made this year.
A LAST minute twisting of the arm to play netball turned into one of the better decisions Woorndoo Mortlake defender Erin McGuigan has made this year.
The 20 year-old was rewarded for making a return to the court by the Mininera and District Netball Association umpires, who jointly voted her the C grade league best and fairest.
McGuigan shared the award with Glenthompson Dunkeld’s Sarah Gordon on 20 votes, with the pair finishing clear.
Her win followed a last minute decision to return to the court on the calling of her sister Shona, who was coach of the Tigers C grade side.
The team was struggling for numbers and in danger of forcing to pull its side from the competition, but McGuigan and others answered the call.
A passionate player who has been at the club since the age of 12, the defender returned to ultimately top her 2019 season.
“The last season before COVID I finished runner-up so it was definitely fantastic to win,” McGuigan said.
“All the hard work paid off and I’m so glad I went back.
“I didn’t originally plan to play but the club was having difficulties after COVID and was a chance of folding (it’s C grade side).
My sister, who is coach of the team, roped me into it. I’ve played my whole life there so I wouldn’t have let the team fold so I gave them a hand to get a team on the court and it turned out to be a wonderful season to play.”
Having only opted to play just weeks for the season, McGuigan did not expect to feature anywhere near the top of the count.
But she was thrilled to discover she would eventually share the award with Gordon.
“I was absolutely rapt to get an invite for the top 10 but even after that I was thinking top seven at best,” McGuigan said.
“I was thinking I wouldn’t place so I was absolutely rapt with that (winning).
“I couldn’t be happier to share it with Sarah too. She’s a hard and great player to play against and well deserving of it.
“I was just as happy for her as I am myself.”
McGuigan was not the only Tiger celebrating a league best and fairest, with Elise Killen taking out the 15 and under best and fairest with 23 votes.
She finished six clear of runner-up Chloe Frost from Glenthompson Dunkeld.
