The Victorian Netball League grand final had a distinct Goulburn Valley League flavour to it.
City West Falcons, featuring no less than six GVL talents, knocked over a Booroondara Express side with two Seymour guns by six goals in the state’s top-flight decider on August 9.
Shepparton’s Jane Cook, Madelyn Gray, Sophie Hanrahan, Tatura’s Molly Kennedy and Shepparton United’s Zoe Davies had the last laugh over Seymour’s Sarah Szczykulski and Casey Adamson.
Bear Kim Borger was on the bench for Falcons, while stalwart Jacinta Todd commandeered the side to a storied victory, earning the Joyce Brown Award as winning coach.
With many including Todd making it back-to-back premierships for Falcons, it was smiles all round for the Shepparton lot.
“To top it off and win and go back-to-back for a number of those girls, they were absolutely stoked and so happy that they were able to finish off that season,” Todd said.
“We had a lot of speed humps along the way, there were lots of things that were thrown our way, and for them to get the win in the end was a real icing on the cake.
“I know it was a bit of a ripper game to watch, I’m pretty stoked.”
Falcons rose from a one-goal deficit at three-quarter time to snatch a 60-54 win from beneath Booroondara’s nose.
Cook, who laid claim to the 2023 Championship Hot Shot Award with 852 season goals, shot the lights out from the start with Bears teammate Gray for company.
Falcons built a 19-13 lead by the first break, but their second-quarter effort left much to be desired as the Express rolled back into the game.
“It was just a second-quarter slump from us that got Booroondara back into it,” Todd said.
“Heading into the last quarter I actually remember saying to the girls that we had several teams come at us during the season and we’d done really well to combat it and we knew that we could do it.
“I had full confidence in them going out there and getting the job done in the end.”
The decision to move Hanrahan into goal keeper was a pivotal moment halfway through the match.
Falcons, the favourites, were in danger of stumbling at the crucial moment and Todd said the intercept game of Hanrahan after switching from wing defence was a tide-turner.
“She turned over several balls that we needed to, to enable us to get back on track and get the win in the end,” Todd said.
“She provided us with a bit more movement and mobility. She’s just really deceiving in that circle; you think a pass is on and she comes out of nowhere and gets it and gets it cleanly.
“In that last quarter it was a combination of all our girls that were out there that not only turned the ball over, but really looked after the ball to enable us to get the score off it and come away with the win.”
More GVL talent hit the court almost two hours earlier in Melbourne University’s 45-32 win over City West Falcons in the 19-and-under grand final.
Mooroopna’s Asha Gray returned with a winner’s medal around her neck as her Lightning undid a Falcons side complete with Mackenzie O’Dwyer (Shepparton) and Sophie Garner (Shepparton Swans).
Lastly, Rochester’s Teal Hocking was acknowledged for an outstanding season with City West Falcons’ Division One side, named in the Team of the Year.
Davies and Adamson were also recognised in the Championship Team of the Year.