By David Nagel
An absorbing three-way battle for second place on the ladder and a coveted double chance highlights a thrilling final round of West Gippsland netball on Saturday.
Bunyip, currently second, heads to Dalyston this week with both teams locked on 14 wins for the season…two wins behind an outstanding Inverloch-Kongwak outfit in first place.
If Bunyip wins, second place is assured courtesy of a very healthy percentage.
But if Dalyston wins narrowly…the door opens slightly for reigning-premier Tooradin-Dalmore to snatch that crucial second-place position.
The Seagulls, also on 14 wins, take on bottom-team Kooweerup, and will need something special in the order of an 80-10 victory to keep their slender double-chance hopes alive.
There’s no doubt the calculators will be out if Dalyston manage the win over Bunyip!
Dalyston tuned up for the big clash against the Bulldogs with an impressive 47-32 victory over Garfield on Saturday.
The Magpies had Alana and Hannah McRae sitting on the sidelines but still managed to shake the Stars, who had won three of their last four games.
With Bella Schmidt (GS) dominating the circle, and Chloe Bramley and Grace McRae running rampant through the midcourt, the black and white’s opened up a 14-7 lead at quarter time.
That lead extended to 28-15 half-way through the contest before the Magpies cruised home to victory.
Gemma Thomas (GD) and Olivia Bramley (GK) were also effective for the winners, while Tyla Redwood (Ga), Bec Van Rossen (GS) and Isabel Marsh (WD) tried the hearts out for the Stars.
Garfield is now finished for the season, having the Kilcunda-Bass bye this week, but will take plenty of impetus into 2023 after its recent run of form.
The closest match of round 17 took place at Tooradin, where the Seagulls were pushed to the limit by a dangerous Nar Nar Goon.
The Seagulls eventually prevailed, 47-45, but both teams will take plenty away from the contest.
The Gulls are not as dominant as previous seasons but have put together another fabulous campaign, while the Goon will take more confidence from this performance than any other this season.
This is the closest the Goon has got to a top-four team…and we’ll find out more about their credentials when they host premiership favourite Inverloch this Saturday.
Get close, or win, and the Goon girls will take a tidal-wave of confidence into this year’s finals series.
The challenge will be tough for the Goon this week with Inverloch-Kongwak once again showing its class with a 69-18 thumping of Warragul Industrials.
Coach Jarrad Walker has the Sea Eagles purring like a well-oiled machine at the moment, with the absence of star-goaler Kelly Boyd proving no obstacle against the Dusties.
Ella Sadler filled the GS breach perfectly, scoring 36 goals, while Tayla Robb (GA) was at her damaging best with 33.
Kelsey Buxton, Lanni Pryor, Rahni Mann and Renee Pilkington all had a run through the midcourt, while Tayla Smith (GK) sat back and enjoyed the show.
Ebony Proctor (GD) and Steph Keeble (GK) did well under pressure for the Dusties, while Laurie Meaker (GS) will take some good form into this week’s home clash against Cora Lynn after scoring six goals in the final quarter.
Bunyip has made it six wins on the trot with a comfortable 40-22 victory over Phillip Island at Bunyip.
Amongst those victims have been Dalyston, Nar Nar Goon and Tooradin-Dalmore, proving the Bulldogs are in good form and right in the mix for this year’s flag.
Phillip Island, on the other hand, is limping its way toward finals having lost four consecutive games.
The Islanders will look to find form and bounce back to the winners’ list on a road-trip to Korumburra this week.
And Cora Lynn has continued its steady and consistent season with a 49-34 victory over Kooweerup.
The Cobras are still a mathematical chance of playing finals, but would need to crush the Dusties this week and hope Korumburra-Bena can do a number on Phillip Island.
Both results are unlikely, but the Cobras have done well to even be in that conversation at this time of year.
Injuries have cruelled their season and coach Allan Douglas will be mighty proud of his team when he packs away his notepad on Saturday night.
Korumburra-Bena had the bye.
West Gippsland Netball scoreboard
A GRADE: Bunyip 40 v Phillip Island 22, Cora Lynn 49 v Kooweerup 34, Garfield 32 v Dalyston 47, Korumburra-Bena 20 v Kilcunda-Bass 0, Tooradin-Dalmore 47 v Nar Nar Goon 45, Warragul Industrials 18 v Inverloch-Kongwak 69.
B GRADE: Bunyip 51 v Phillip Island 30, Cora Lynn 35 v Kooweerup 35, Garfield 44 v Dalyston 56, Korumburra-Bena 25 v Kilcunda-Bass 48, Tooradin-Dalmore 47 v Nar Nar Goon 40, Warragul Industrials 18 v Inverloch-Kongwak 81.
C GRADE: Bunyip 50 v Phillip Island 15, Cora Lynn 35 v Kooweerup 19, Garfield 33 v Dalyston 30, Korumburra-Bena 32 v Kilcunda-Bass 36, Tooradin-Dalmore 19 v Nar Nar Goon 40, Warragul Industrials 9 v Inverloch-Kongwak 68.
D GRADE: Bunyip 73 v Phillip Island 7, Cora Lynn 23 v Kooweerup 17, Garfield 19 v Dalyston 49, Tooradin-Dalmore 20 v Nar Nar Goon 36.
17 UNDER: Bunyip 33 v Phillip Island 57, Cora Lynn 19 v Kooweerup 41, Garfield 2 v Dalyston 79, Korumburra-Bena 49 v Kilcunda-Bass 11, Tooradin-Dalmore 34 v Nar Nar Goon 26, Warragul Industrials 13 v Inverloch-Kongwak 58.
15 UNDER: Bunyip 27 v Phillip Island 22, Cora Lynn 24 v Kooweerup 25, Garfield 0 v Dalyston 20, Korumburra-Bena 26 v Kilcunda-Bass 12, Tooradin-Dalmore 15 v Nar Nar Goon 22, Warragul Industrials 18 v Inverloch-Kongwak 39.
13 UNDER: Bunyip 5 v Phillip Island 45, Cora Lynn 26 v Kooweerup 14, Garfield 14 v Dalyston 19, Korumburra-Bena 34 v Kilcunda-Bass 4, Tooradin-Dalmore 12 v Nar Nar Goon 23, Warragul Industrials 32 v Inverloch-Kongwak 13.
11 UNDER: Bunyip 2 v Phillip Island 25, Cora Lynn 9 v Kooweerup 9, Garfield 1 v Dalyston 10, Tooradin-Dalmore 7 v Nar Nar Goon 21.
LADDERS
A GRADE W L D F A % PTS
Inverloch-Kongwak 16 1 0 878 387 226.87 64
Bunyip 14 3 0 878 494 177.73 56
Dalyston 14 3 0 691 490 141.02 56
Tooradin-Dalmore 14 3 0 757 592 127.87 56
Nar Nar Goon 12 5 0 782 622 125.72 48
Phillip Island 8 9 0 784 704 111.36 32
Cora Lynn 7 10 0 617 619 99.68 28
Korumburra Bena 7 10 0 577 623 92.62 28
Garfield 5 12 0 590 753 78.35 20
Warragul Industrials 4 13 0 596 978 60.94 16
Koo Wee Rup 1 16 0 406 954 42.56 4
Kilcunda Bass 0 17 0 0 340 0.00 0
B GRADE W L D F A % PTS
Tooradin-Dalmore 16 1 0 979 606 161.55 64
Bunyip 14 3 0 889 539 164.94 56
Phillip Island 13 4 0 846 681 124.23 52
Inverloch-Kongwak 12 4 1 810 549 147.54 50
Nar Nar Goon 12 5 0 877 530 165.47 48
Dalyston 11 6 0 837 731 114.50 44
Kilcunda Bass 6 10 1 721 742 97.17 26
Garfield 5 11 1 612 797 76.79 22
Koo Wee Rup 4 11 2 529 744 71.10 20
Cora Lynn 3 12 2 388 825 47.03 16
Korumburra Bena 2 14 1 525 811 64.73 10
Warragul Industrials 0 17 0 474 1132 41.87 0
C GRADE W L D F A % PTS
Bunyip 17 0 0 780 246 317.07 68
Inverloch-Kongwak 13 3 1 733 334 219.46 54
Dalyston 13 4 0 617 406 151.97 52
Nar Nar Goon 12 4 1 540 372 145.16 50
Garfield 12 5 0 591 440 134.32 48
Cora Lynn 10 7 0 527 482 109.34 40
Phillip Island 8 9 0 484 500 96.80 32
Tooradin-Dalmore 5 12 0 406 532 76.32 20
Koo Wee Rup 5 12 0 353 508 69.49 20
Korumburra Bena 3 14 0 386 584 66.10 12
Kilcunda Bass 3 14 0 323 705 45.82 12
Warragul Industrials 0 17 0 250 882 28.34 0
D GRADE W L D F A % PTS
Inverloch-Kongwak 13 0 0 549 241 227.80 52
Bunyip 12 2 0 610 261 233.72 48
Dalyston 12 2 0 613 281 218.15 48
Nar Nar Goon 10 3 0 490 257 190.66 40
Kilcunda Bass 6 8 0 391 416 93.99 24
Tooradin-Dalmore 5 9 0 353 480 73.54 20
Cora Lynn 4 11 0 326 502 64.94 16
Garfield 3 11 0 319 494 64.57 12
Phillip Island 2 12 0 264 624 42.31 8
Koo Wee Rup 2 11 0 221 540 40.93 8
Korumburra Bena 0 0 0 0 20 0.00 0
Warragul Industrials 0 0 0 0 20 0.00 0
17 UNDER W L D F A % PTS
Dalyston 17 0 0 859 292 294.18 68
Korumburra Bena 16 1 0 682 303 225.08 64
Phillip Island 14 3 0 848 442 191.86 56
Inverloch-Kongwak 13 4 0 731 381 191.86 52
Tooradin-Dalmore 9 8 0 544 515 105.63 36
Bunyip 8 9 0 526 521 100.96 32
Koo Wee Rup 8 9 0 439 461 95.23 32
Cora Lynn 8 9 0 463 503 92.05 32
Nar Nar Goon 4 13 0 424 601 70.55 16
Kilcunda Bass 3 14 0 380 665 57.14 12
Warragul Industrials 2 15 0 296 782 37.85 8
Garfield 0 17 0 161 887 18.15 0
15 UNDER W L D F A % PTS
Inverloch-Kongwak 16 1 0 476 226 210.62 64
Phillip Island 15 2 0 573 281 203.91 60
Korumburra Bena 14 3 0 488 323 151.08 56
Bunyip 12 4 1 450 306 147.06 50
Dalyston 11 6 0 351 323 108.67 44
Nar Nar Goon 9 7 1 406 366 110.93 38
Koo Wee Rup 8 9 0 371 385 96.36 32
Kilcunda Bass 6 11 0 294 404 72.77 24
Tooradin-Dalmore 4 13 0 308 404 76.24 16
Cora Lynn 3 14 0 256 406 63.05 12
Warragul Industrials 3 14 0 328 536 61.19 12
Garfield 0 17 0 0 340 0.00 0
13 UNDER W L D F A % PTS
Phillip Island 16 1 0 622 185 336.22 64
Nar Nar Goon 14 3 0 501 227 220.70 56
Koo Wee Rup 14 3 0 509 242 210.33 56
Cora Lynn 13 3 1 423 199 212.56 54
Warragul Industrials 11 6 0 391 284 137.68 44
Tooradin-Dalmore 9 7 1 300 219 136.99 38
Inverloch-Kongwak 8 9 0 282 282 100.00 32
Korumburra Bena 6 9 2 283 291 97.25 28
Dalyston 4 13 0 105 419 25.06 16
Garfield 3 14 0 203 431 47.10 12
Kilcunda Bass 1 16 0 110 508 21.65 4
Bunyip 1 16 0 92 534 17.23 4
11 UNDER W L D F A % PTS
Nar Nar Goon 13 0 0 372 41 907.32 52
Inverloch-Kongwak 12 1 0 275 63 436.51 48
Dalyston 10 4 0 149 85 175.29 40
Tooradin-Dalmore 10 4 0 176 118 149.15 40
Phillip Island 7 6 1 177 186 95.16 30
Kilcunda Bass 5 8 1 110 199 55.28 22
Cora Lynn 4 9 2 112 195 57.44 20
Koo Wee Rup 3 8 2 80 154 51.95 16
Bunyip 1 13 0 78 275 28.36 4
Garfield 1 13 0 37 230 16.09 4
Korumburra Bena 0 0 0 0 20 0.00 0
Warragul Industrials 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0