Confidence boost for Storm after breakthrough win

STRATHFIELDSAYE coach Jess Mangan believes the team will take fresh confidence and belief from a breakthrough win over Golden Square.

The Storm opened their 2025 BFNL season account with a plucky 48-43 victory in the Pat Cronin Foundation Round at Strathfieldsaye on Saturday.

A loss left Golden Square as the only A-grade team without a win this season.

Mangan’s first victory as the Storm’s A-grade coach was fiercely contested and ultimately hard-won, as to be expected between two teams chasing their first win.

“We knew it wouldn’t be easy – none of the games are going to be easy this season – so we were very happy to finally get one,” said Mangan, who has taken over the coaching reins from Steph Freemantle this season.

“It was a real battle. We had our plan to work hard for the four quarters, and if we experienced a lapse, we needed to be problem solvers on the court and try something different and not wait until the next quarter to fix something.

“Our second quarter is what really got us a good lead and that was credit to whole-team pressure causing some turnovers.

“Brooke (Mangan) caused five or six turnovers herself in that quarter and that really helped turn the game around.

“It was the whole team’s pressure, but she was the one picking them off.”

The Storm got solid contributions in all parts of the courts, with steady defender Emmie Banfield, goal attack Annie Hughes and midcourter Brooke Mangan the standouts.

Hughes, whose clutch shooting proved telling as the Bulldogs mounted a strong final-quarter challenge, has arguably been the Storm’s most consistent performer during the first four rounds.

A settled A-grade lineup for Strathfieldsaye has been bolstered by the promotion of Lainey Pollard from last year’s premiership-winning A-reserve team.

“I feel that being similar to last year’s team really helped us on Saturday,” Mangan said.

“We’re lucky to have a really good culture and even when things are not going our way, we turn to supporting each other and not getting down on one another.

“I think that supportive culture has been built on from last season.”

Unfortunately for the Storm, they will not get a straight-up opportunity to carry over the momentum from their first win due to a split round.

They will return to action against Eaglehawk at Canterbury Park on 17 May.

The Storm will be out to avenge their elimination final defeat from last season against the Hawks.

With the top three of traditional powerhouses Kangaroo Flat, Gisborne and Sandhurst already looking rock solid, and the top-tier competition this year bereft of Maryborough (in recess) and Castlemaine (not fielding an A-grade team), Mangan acknowledged wins in games between the Storm, Eaglehawk, South Bendigo and Golden Square would be paramount in determining which two of the four would fill two likely finals vacancies.

“When we looked at the draw, we knew the first three weeks would be tough, but we are just sticking to our goals and playing as strong as we can,” she said.

“No matter where we are on the ladder, games against Eaglehawk and Golden Square are always a battle.

“Eaglehawk is a gettable one if we can work hard and play like I know we can, as we did in the second quarter against Square.

“That is where we are aiming, to come out hard in a fortnight’s time.

“Two in a row would be lovely, but for that to be a possibility, we need to come out hard, have a good first quarter and build from there.”

A Storm win would see them leapfrog Eaglehawk on the ladder.

The Hawks, who lost to reigning premiers Gisborne 48-32 on Saturday, have a win and a draw from four matches and sit two points above the Storm on the ladder going into their 17 May clash.

Round 4 recap:

Sandhurst 54 lost to Kangaroo Flat 64;

Strathfieldsaye 48 def Golden Square 43;

Eaglehawk 32 lost to Gisborne 48.

Round 5 draw:

South Bendigo v Sandhurst (10 May);

Kangaroo Flat v Golden Square, Eaglehawk v Strathfieldsaye (May 17).

KIERAN ILES