Stalwart Finch Hits 350, Modewarre wins

MODEWARRE celebrated stalwart Emma Finch’s 350th milestone in style with a 43-36 BNL B grade win against Newcomb at Mount Moriac Reserve on Saturday, June 28.

She explained she had never had a milestone game before due a change in league affiliation and the difficultly in tracking matches.

“It was actually very special. It was the very first one, I’ve never run through a banner in my life and I’ve never had a guard of honour. It was very humbling,” she said.

 

 

Finch, who has played most of her career in A grade, is married to Josh who became the Warriors’ games record holder this year, notching 330 matches.

The netballer said they had enjoyed reflecting on attaining their milestones in the same year and she feels they have reached them due to their joint love of the club.

She explained how the duo had been able to work as a team to make it happen with three young children.

“I played a couple of games last year while Kenzie was just three or four months old and I’d be quickly breastfeeding right before the game to then jump on,” Finch said.

“So [my] definitely preparation is very different. It’s not about game prep anymore.

“But the thing for me is training and gameplay is just my outlet, my little two or three hours a week, just for time for me and I can completely switch off with that.

“I’ve got really good support in my mum and Josh’s mum and my sister-in-law who have the kids on the sideline.”

 

 

The life member said the club had offered great support in helping look after her older two children.

“Josh and I, we get a babysitter [for Kenzie] every Thursday night to be able to train.

“But that’s a compromise that we said we’d do because it’s just something that we love.

“And we’ve always said we want to play while we can and play while the kids can see us and our kids love watching.

“It’s great that the kids can see their parents still being active.”

Finch was part of the 2011 A Grade premiership team and won both the league and club best and fairest awards in 2017.