Queenscliff, Newcomb eye off top three spot

A PIVOTAL clash awaits Jane Searle and her Queenscliff A Grade side this weekend with the Bellarine Netball League (BNL) beginning its run home to the finals.

The Coutas (third, nine wins, four losses) and Newcomb (fourth, nine wins, four losses) will jostle for third place on the ladder tomorrow (Saturday, July 13) afternoon, with only one team to sit inside the double-chance slot at the game’s end.

Searle, who has kept Queenscliffe inside the top three during her first season at the helm, said the group was eager to return from the bye week for its biggest game of the season so far.

“It’s going to be a really important game, especially coming off a week off, it’ll certainly be a tell-tale clash on the season.

“We have a win over Newcomb this season, but we’re looking to pushing forward a lot harder a lot more, we’ve certainly progressed a lot as a team since last playing them.

“We’ll also have Ebony Rolph back in the team, who didn’t play last time we played the Power, Laura Cayzer should be back fully firing as well, so we should have a full team to pick from and we’re playing really good netball at the moment – it should be a great game.”

Queenscliff has bounced back from two double-digit losses from premiership contenders Ocean Grove and Geelong Amateur over a fortnight ago, securing wins against Modewarre and Anglesea most recently.

Searle said this year’s co-captaincy, jointly held between two-time league best and fairest Kaitlin Gladman and Sarah Langley, had paid dividends for the group.

The pair hope to lead the group, in Searle’s words, to a season finish “better than last year”.

“Their leadership has been excellent and having the shared captaincy this year where it doesn’t all rest on Kaitlin in the attack end has been huge for us.

“I think Sarah just brings great leadership to the court, she continually talks and encourages everyone else, whether she’s on or off the court; it’s a great morale booster for our group.”

Following Saturday’s clash at Grinter Reserve, Queenscliff’s final four games of the season will be against Drysdale, Torquay, Barwon Heads and Portarlington.