A REINFORCED South Bendigo got the start it was looking for as it eyes a rise up the BFNL A-grade ladder this season, emerging as 62-goal winners over newcomers Broadford at Harley Hammond Reserve last Saturday.<\/p>\n
The Bloods, under second-year coach Lauren Bowles, jumped the Kangaroos early to set up a 21-goal quarter time lead.<\/p>\n
Any hopes of a comeback were quickly extinguished when the Bloods restricted Broadford to just two goals in the second quarter en route to a 40-goal lead.<\/p>\n
A more even contest prevailed in the second half, but the damage had already been done, allowing the Bloods to post a convincing and confidence-boosting 87-25 victory that pleased their coach.<\/p>\n
“We jumped right out of the boxes with 26 goals in the first quarter; we came out lightning,” Bowles said.<\/p>\n
“We’re focusing on the basics at the moment and the execution was good.<\/p>\n
“We were disciplined, consistent and moved the ball quick. Just awesome across the board.<\/p>\n
“Our goaling end was on fire. It was just the perfect first quarter of netball. Barely a turnover and scored from about 99 per cent of the gains we got.<\/p>\n
“We set ourselves well up in the first quarter; the second (quarter) ebbed and flowed in terms of our own performance. We were putting our attack end under a little bit of pressure.<\/p>\n
“But all in all, it was a really great first game. A really great confidence game.”<\/p>\n
Bowles was impressed by the first-up effort of midcourt recruit Cayde Hayes, who has joined the Bloods from Heathcote District club Elmore, and slotted in seamlessly alongside Kyla Byrne.<\/p>\n
The returning Stephanie Greene also won plaudits for her leadership in defence, while Steph MacCallum was another welcome acquisition after playing only a few games last season due to pregnancy.<\/p>\n
Under the post, Gabe Richards looks set for another big season, tipping in the bulk of the Bloods’ goals, while most often being double-teamed.<\/p>\n
“She’s never rattled by it and always finds a way to get herself into a really great position,” Bowles said.<\/p>\n
“She was dynamite today (Saturday). Moving well.<\/p>\n
“She’s got a really bright season ahead of her.”<\/p>\n
Bowles is banking on a combination of a season together under their belt for the bulk of the team, together with some astute recruiting as the ingredients for leading the Bloods higher than last season’s fourth placed finish.<\/p>\n
They will look to consolidate their bright start on Good Friday against Strathfieldsaye at Tannery Lane, where they will be boosted by the returns of goaler Karley Hynes and defender Hayley Harrington.<\/p>\n
On the competition’s newcomers, Bowles praised Broadford’s persistence and eagerness to fight the game out.<\/p>\n
“I feel they found their feet a lot better after the first quarter and there were patches in our attack end where I felt they moved quite well,” she said.<\/p>\n
“But we’ve had a whole year together now and I think that helped us.”<\/p>\n
Despite a first-up loss, an undeterred Kangaroos coach Jaimie Hooper said Saturday marked an incredible moment for the Broadford Football Netball Club, as players, supporters and the wider community came together to celebrate a long-awaited return to the court and field.<\/p>\n
“After two years in recess, the atmosphere around the club was nothing short of incredible,” she said.<\/p>\n
“The energy, pride and culture that define Broadford were alive and thriving, with a strong show of support highlighting just how much the club means to its community.<\/p>\n
“While the scoreboard in both netball and football didn’t fall in Broadford’s favour, the results told only a small part of the story.<\/p>\n
“What truly stood out was the attitude, effort and unity across the entire club, on the court, on the field, and just as importantly, off it.<\/p>\n
“Players embraced the moment, proud simply to be back wearing the colours and representing their town.<\/p>\n
“To return after two years and see that level of support is something really special.<\/p>\n
“It’s unheard of, and it shows what this club is all about.<\/p>\n
“Broadford has been clear in its message from the outset, this is a rebuild, and one built on strong foundations.”<\/p>\n
On the A-grade netball clash itself, Hooper added: “Feedback from spectators and supporters reinforced that the scoreboard didn’t reflect the true competitiveness and determination shown by the teams.”<\/p>\n
“The players never stopped working, never stopped learning, and consistently pushed to match their highly structured and experienced opposition,” she said.<\/p>\n
“Facing strong, well-established sides in their return to outdoor competition after two years only highlighted where the group currently sits and importantly, where it is heading.<\/p>\n
“It was a really honest reflection of where we’re at, but also where we need to go.<\/p>\n
“And we’re confident we’ll get there.<\/p>\n
“For Broadford, the weekend wasn’t defined by results, it was defined by resilience, connection and the unmistakable pride of being back.”<\/p>\n
Among the league newcomers, Amanda Rothwell-Hiscock was prominent in defence.<\/p>\n
Broadford will have a bye this weekend, before taking on league powerhouse Sandhurst for the first time on 11 April.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A REINFORCED South Bendigo got the start it was looking for as it eyes a rise up the BFNL A-grade ladder this season, emerging as 62-goal winners over newcomers Broadford at Harley Hammond Reserve last Saturday. The Bloods, under second-year coach Lauren Bowles, jumped the Kangaroos early to set up a 21-goal quarter time lead. […]<\/p>\n