Bulldogs bolster defence, attack ends

A PAIR of quality recruits from the Riddell District league will give Gisborne’s defensive and attacking ends a new dimension.

The Bulldogs have lured dual league medal-winning defender Tilly Shepherd and premiership-winning goaler Charlee Duff-Tytler in a bid to return to their premiership-winning ways of 2023-24 in 2026.

It will be Shepherd’s second stint in the ultra-strong BFNL A-grade netball competition.

She previously played with Kyneton, which was a member of the BFNL up until the end of the 2023 season.

Shepherd remained with the Tigers following their move to the RDFNL and has won the past two Ryan Medals as the league’s A-grade netball best and fairest.

She became the first player to win the league’s highest individual netball accolade in back-to-back seasons.

The versatile defender, who represents Victorian Netball League club Melbourne University Lightning at championship level, is a great fit at the Bulldogs.

She will join fellow Lightning players and established Bulldogs back-to-back premiership players Kirby Elliott (the club’s 2025 best and fairest), Charlee kemp and Claudia Mawson in the red, white and blue.

A part of Woodend-Hesket’s three-peat of A-grade premierships, Duff-Tytler will add height, athleticism and depth to the Bulldogs’ goal shooting stocks, while also being able to swing into defence.

With Mawson expected to again miss plenty of the season due to Super Netball Reserves commitments with Melbourne Mavericks, her acquisition will give the Bulldogs great cover alongside 2024 grand final best on court Torie Skrijel.

Bulldogs coach Tarryn Rymer said she was pleased with her two A-grade acquisitions.

“Tilly is an extremely good player – a two-time league medal winner in a good league,” she said.

“She’ll play VNL champs again, so she’ll slot in well alongside the girls she plays with down in Melbourne.

“And I’m excited to see what Charlee (Duff-Tytler) can do.

“She’s only young, but comes with a lot of experience and that winning mentality from those premierships at Woodend.

“Both girls will slot in nicely.”

Rymer was confident the Bulldogs could retain their spot among the league’s powerhouse clubs following a third-place finish in 2025.

“It will be nice to have a bit more consistency with the playing group; last year we had Zoe (Davies) and Clauds (Mawson) always away with (SN) Reserves,” she said.

“The side should look a bit more settled from week-to-week.”

The list of re-signings at Gisborne so far includes Elliott, Kemp, Mawson – who has recommitted alongside her Mavericks commitments – Skrijel, and midcourters Emerson Lakey, Amity Drayton and Emily Miles.