Hatherleigh v Robe
The game started with both teams playing with intensity and speed going goal for goal.
Erin Watson and Rosie Nettle for Hatherleigh were made to work hard to get the ball into attack from Robe’s Annie Regnier and Ellen Ramke.
Strong rebounding by Maddie Redman and Lara MacGregor with Tegan Telfer getting many hands to the ball gave Hatherleigh opportunities to score, while Robe’s Regnier and Lucy Perkins showed patience to feed into Sarah Laurie and Tori Gluyas.
Despite the icy and wet conditions both teams shot well, but Hatherleigh got the lead late to be up by three at the first break.
Both teams started the quarter with the same level of intensity, but as the rain fell, Hatherleigh extended its lead with Nettle having a great physical battle with Jennings, while MacGregor continued to make her presence felt.
Demi Vanderhorst increased her work rate causing many a turnover in the mid court for Hatherleigh, while Regnier and Perkins continued to work hard around the circle for Robe.
Ramke and Georgia Perkins worked hard for the Roosters, but found it difficult to stop Hatherleigh’s Maddie Pulmer and Vanderhorst.
With the Eagles stepping up and taking charge in the second they went into the main break with a 10-goal lead.
A quick start by Hatherleigh in the third term saw the lead extend further due to accurate shooting from Pulmer, who was being well fed with great feeds from Watson and Nettle.
Robe’s Emma Grant returned to the court and started to make an impact getting her hands to the ball and helping to give the Roosters opportunities to score with Regnier and Perkins combining well down the court.
Hatherleigh appeared to tire as the quarter wore on, while Robe’s intensity never faltered.
A fast-finishing end to the quarter by Robe and what is often dubbed the premiership quarter saw Robe outscore Hatherleigh 13-9 with accurate shooting from both Laurie and Gluyas.
Both teams remained unchanged going into the final stanza and it was clear from the outset players were determined to leave nothing in the tank.
Hatherleigh started to get more of the ball through Redman and MacGregor, who were well supported by Telfer.
Some early missed opportunities to convert on the scoreboard kept Robe in the game, however it did not have a real impact on Hatherleigh’s lead.
Robe’s Regnier and Hatherleigh’s Watson continued to give their all, as did Robe’s Perkins and Hatherleigh’s Nettle, while Telfer and Ramke tried valiantly to shut down their influence.
Hatherleigh’s Pulmer and Vanderhorst found their groove again to help Hatherleigh run out comfortable winners 54 to 41.
Port MacDonnell v Mount Burr
In wet and rainy conditions, Port MacDonnell hosted Mount Burr at home.
Last-time these teams met it was Port MacDonnell that were easy victors – Mount Burr have welcomed Madi Haggett back into their side since then who bolstered up their defence, while the Demons were missing the experience of Michelle Moore.
The Mozzies came out firing in the first – turning over Port MacDonnell’s first centre pass and had two on the board before the Demons scored.
Ebony Clark started well for the Mozzies at goal shooter and was well supported by Laura Schultz and Ella Easterby.
Schultz went off toward the end of the first quarter under the blood rule, moving Easterby into centre and leaving wing attack vacant.
The second quarter was an even affair, Clark was still dominating in the goal circle for the Mozzies, while the defensive efforts of Port MacDonnell captain Alana Berkefeld created turnovers which Demon goalies Megan Hein and Kori Collins were able to capitalise on.
Port MacDonnnell centre Liza Mutch was having a great first half, driving well and being supported by wing attack Shannon Scheidl.
Olivia Dean and Madi Haggett were playing tough in the Mozzies defence, with Mount Burr holding a four-goal lead at half time.
Mount Burr moved Schultz back to centre and Easterby to wing attack at the main break which had an immediate impact. Schultz’s drive and experience helped her team to build on its lead.
Clark and Ashlee Dean were pivotal in the Mozzies’ goal circle, leaving few rebounding opportunities for Berkefeld and Coon.
Mount Burr increased the lead to nine at the final break, with the final quarter again even, but the Mozzies had done enough to hold on.
Liza Mutch needed to come off with a few minutes to go due to the blood rule which gave 17 and Under player Lara Wilson some more A Grade court time, with the Demons moving Megan Hein to wing attack and Wilson to goal shooter.
It was a tough and physical game in wet conditions – Mount Burr coming out eventual winners by nine goals, 43-34.
Glencoe v Kongorong
Glencoe came up against Kongorong after a two week break, with both teams adjusting due to player unavailability.
With the Buckingham duo out for Kongorong, usual midcourter Rachel Perry stepped into the defensive circle and Kaylah Farrell filled the shooter position.
Up and coming youngster Alice Tentye was also unavailable for the Murphies, giving 17 and under star Zoe Mulraney a well earnt A Grade game.
It was the Murphies who came out with a high defensive work rate making it hard for the young attacking line of the Hawks to transition the ball from their centre pass to post.
Down the attacking end for Glencoe the goalie combination of Jenna Paproth and Chantelle Cocks was working in unison.
This made life hard for Hawks defenders Perry and Emily Lightbody to create turnover ball as they needed to cover a clear two avenues to goal.
The Hawks’ attack line eventually settled and worked with patience to get the ball safely through the Murphies defence and into the reliable hands of Farrell.
However, the Murphies defensive pressure did not let up and any turnovers were transitioned quickly down court and converted, setting up Glencoe with a 22 to 10 goal lead.
The task only got tougher for Kongorong in the second quarter as the Glencoe side continued to perform.
The centre court battle between Donna Jaeschke for Glencoe and Ebony Lawson for the Hawks was determined.
Both players were running hard for their respective side but the experience of Jaeschke gave her the upper hand.
Jaeschke and Mulraney started to combine well in attacking transition and feed with precision into the holding Cocks.
Despite the pressure that Lightbody was applying to Cocks her strength was on full show – converting 18 goals of 21 attempts in the second quarter.
Kongorong’s attack line struggled to transition past Glencoe’s defenders.
Chloe Pfitzner, Sarah Edwards and Jaeschke worked hard together to limit any easy options for Hawks, setting up intercept opportunities for themselves and Chelsea Owen coming out of the circle.
The pressure on the Hawks was clear with them only adding five goals to their tally compared to 23 for Glencoe.
With the result seeming inevitable – with Glencoe having a 30 goal lead at half time – Kongorong focused on improving their performance in the second half.
Despite some impressive defensive turnovers from Pfitzner to start the quarter the Hawks were able to get some momentum back.
Evie Sealey lifted her efforts and found more of the ball outside of the circle which allowed Farrell the space to utilise her strength and hold.
Down the defensive end the early work from Lightbody and Perry was starting to pay off with both getting some hand to ball.
A patch of inaccurate shooting from the Glencoe circle also allowed the Hawk defenders with opportunity on the rebound.
In a much more even quarter with the Hawks able to keep Glencoe to 15 goals and convert 11 themselves.
Sensing a good fightback from the Hawks the Murphies lifted a gear in the final term.
Jaeschke continued to be an option all the way down the court and fed with accuracy into the circle.
Edwards and Owen combined well in the defensive circle forcing errors from the Hawks feeders and Pfitzner continued her defensive pressure outside the circle.
As the game went on and players started to fatigue there were errors from both sides, but it was the experience and high work rate of the Murphies that allowed them to capitalise and win the final term 20 goals to eight. The final score being Glencoe 80 to Kongorong 34.
Kalangadoo v Nangwarry
Kalangadoo started strong with the defensive combination of Lara Munro and Lauren Kain working relentlessly in the circle to make tough work for Nangwarry’s attack.
Kalangadoo’s mid court worked at a high intensity with wing attack Chloe Peacock finding space and driving to the goal circle.
Jane Auld and Nangwarry’s Cassie Dinnison had a tight tussle in the mid court with both not giving an inch.
Kalangadoo’s goalies Ebony McDiarmid and Abbey Duncan scored accurately and at a high rate to help Kalangadoo go into the first quarter break with a lead 22 to two.
Both teams remained unchanged during the second quarter with McDiarmid and Duncan continuing to combine well and find space with tight physical pressure from Nangwarry’s Carly Ploenges and Kayla Gray.
Dinnison continued to work hard for Nangwarry, providing strong drives and re-offers in an attempt to feed her goalies Tahlia Wilson and Hayley Vanderhorst accurately.
Kalangadoo went into the main break 40 to Nangwarry’s nine.
At half time Kalangadoo made some mid court changes with Nangwarry taking the opportunity to increase its defensive pressure with Ploenges and Gray making hard work for Kalangadoo to find space and a clear path to goal.
Munro and Kain worked overtime, with Munro taking timely intercepts and combing with Kain to limit Nangwarry’s scoring opportunities and limit them to three goals for the quarter to help Kalangadoo enter the three-quarter time break 51 to 12.
The final quarter saw Nangwarry switch goalies Wilson and Vanderhorst with Wilson relishing the extra space.
Kalangadoo’s Duncan used her speed to her advantage and made tough work for Nangwarry’s defence combination as she rewarded Kalangadoo’s defensive effort converting at a high rate to help Kalangadoo convincingly run the game out strongly to finish 73 goals to Nangwarry 15.
