Off-court culture drives Tigers’ early season success

A strong off-court culture is feeding into on-court success for Grovedale.

A-grade coach Rachael Randall has been impressed with her side’s output in the first two rounds of the season.

With five new players stepping into the A-grade squad this season, Randall has been impressed with the speed with which they have built chemistry.

“We’ve put in a really big off-season,” Randall said.

“We haven’t had that long to get that chemistry sorted and the fact that it’s naturally settling really quickly and looks like they’ve been playing together for quite some time is really, really promising,” Randall said.

“It gives us a good base to really excel from.”

Despite their round 1 scoreline, Randall said the 33-point loss to South Barwon showed promise, especially in horrendous conditions.

Equal on turnovers in the second half, Randall said the game spoke to how competitive and aggressive at the ball the team is.

Against St Albans in round 2 – where the Tigers locked away 59–43 win – the team put on a composed and controlled showing.

Randall was especially impressed with the trust the players had in one another down the court.

“Trust is the difference between the elite sides and not,” she said.

“A skilled netballer can’t win you an A-grade game in the GFL.

“It doesn’t matter how skilled they are individually, it’s about the systems, it’s about the structure. It’s about the cohesion and the chemistry and the connection.”

Working with a cohort of new players has been equally rewarding for Randall, who thrives on the challenge of working with a range of women.

 

For a team to be successful, she said, it needs to be built on a foundation of mutual respect and transparency.

“There is a lot happening behind the scenes that is pushing us in a really positive direction,” Randall said.

“I need to be a little bit of a chameleon and look a little different when I am interacting with each player and that’s because it’s not about me. It’s about them,

“It’s about me being there to support and prepare them, and each of them need something different in that regard and it is part of our roles as coaches and leaders is to be able to meet their needs, not at ours.

“That way they can thrive.”

On the court, Bonnie Coburn in defence was a powerhouse in the win over St Alban, with 13 turnovers through the game.

Even more impressive was her penalty count, with just six penalties awarded against the goalkeeper all game.

At the opposite end of the court Charlotte Baggio maintained impeccable composure, allowing the Tigers’ midcourt to play their roles as required.

Randall was especially impressed with junior club player Taylar Borg.

“She is just a workhorse,” Randall said. “The one per cent stuff that she does off the ball for everyone else on the court that she gets no reward for is unmatched.”

Around the courts, Newtown defeated St Joseph’s 68–50 and Colac held on for a five-goal win over Geelong West, 56–51.

South Barwon defeated Bell Park at home, 67–50, and Leopold had the bye.