Netballers regroup

LISMORE Derrinallum’s A grade side will look to regroup this week in preparation for its battle with fourth placed Ararat tomorrow (Saturday).

By Support Team

LISMORE Derrinallum’s A grade side will look to regroup this week in preparation for its battle with fourth placed Ararat tomorrow (Saturday).

A heavily-depleted senior side suffered a 51-goal loss at the hands of Hawkesdale Macarthur last weekend – a game that coach Amy Lodge would sooner forget.

“It certainly wasn’t a great day for us on the netball court,” she said.

“I was contemplating forfeiting our A grade match last week when injury and unavailability meant we would be missing five of our starting seven."

“But we managed to scrape a side together, with four of our B graders stepping up and playing their second full game of the day.”

Lodge made special mention of the efforts of junior player, Tori Belcher, who, after taking the court with A grade several times this season, has “well and truly earned her spot in the team.”

“Tori is one of our under 17 players who has improved immensely this year and is really holding her own in A grade,” Lodge said.

“It’s great to see the young ones having a good crack in seniors. She’s getting some great mentoring and is playing well in the midcourt.”

While the second-placed Eagles were too strong all over the court for the Demons, Lodge said it gave her an opportunity to see where her opponents’ strengths and weaknesses are.

“Coming into finals it will be hand to know how our opponents play so we can work out how to best match up with them,” she said.

“Saturday gave us that opportunity. We know how they play now and we’ll take that information with us into the finals series. They’re definite contenders but we’re hungry to go as far as possible.”

Lodge and Steph Lamont were named best for the Demons last weekend.

In other games, B grade also suffered a loss against the Eagles, going down 7-32. Toni DeGrandi and Grace Simpson were named best on court for the Demons.

C grade enjoyed a comfortable 33-14 goal win, with Emily Murray and Emma Hallyburton named in the best.

In the junior games, the Demons’ 17 and under side was defeated 9-27, the 15 and unders lost 13-22 (Breeana Daffy named best) while the 13 and under team enjoyed a 33-1 goal victory.

“This weekend against Ararat will be an important round for us,” Lodge said.

“Like all clubs at the tail end of the season we’ll be looking to consolidate our sides in the top five."

“For A grade this will be a fifth versus fourth game (Ararat in fourth) and C grade is currently sitting sixth but on equal points with Woorndoo Mortlake in fifth and Glenthompson in fourth.”

The Demons’ 13 and under team is currently on top of their ladder.

B grade and the 17s look set to finish out of the five in their respective grades while the 15 and under team currently sits in 7th – equal on points with Moyston on fifth and Glenthompson on sixth.

After this weekend’s clash with Ararat, the Demons will finish the home and away season at Lismore against Great Western.