Sport
Shepparton Swans champing at the bit for Goulburn Valley League 17-and-under grand final
It’s sink or swim for Shepparton Swans’ 17-and-under netball side on Sunday.
The Swans scanned their ticket to the Goulburn Valley League grand final with a 52-29 victory over Shepparton, a familiar situation to 2023 when Courtney Simpson’s girls finished third, beat the Bears and advanced to the preliminary final.
But a four-goal loss to Mooroopna stopped things in their tracks, and that was it.
So when the red and white contingent goes face-to-face with the Cats in this year’s grand final, it won’t just be a flag on the line.
The Swans’ road to the big dance in 2024 was paved with one fewer pothole than the last with just three blemishes in comparison to four in 2023, but after failing to beat Mooroopna on two occasions this year, Simpson wants to prove the doubters wrong.
“This has been certainly a season-long goal of ours that we set out back in pre-season,” she said.
“We made a decision we were willing to do whatever it took to make this happen.
“As a group we set that goal and it is really amazing to have achieved this part of our goal.
“I think we’ve really taken the tack, particularly last week leading into the prelim, to really enjoy the moment.
“That’s certainly been our language, that it is a privilege to play in a grand final and you may never do it again.
“You don’t know what the future holds so you’ve got to really take these moments and really enjoy them, so that’s certainly been our attitude this week.”
Simpson is right; grand finals do not grow on trees.
Getting there is one thing.
Winning the lot is another.
Thankfully for the Swans, a fair chunk of the 17-and-under squad have been there and done that.
Under Sue Egan and Stacey Woodman, Shepparton Swans’ 15-and-under outfit went all the way in 2022, defeating Echuca 42-22 in the premiership showdown, with the likes of Gabby Moore, Jaylah Meda, Remi Bruton and Brianna Turner playing in the win.
All four and more will need to be at their Sunday best when taking on reigning premier Mooroopna, a side that has only lost once in 2024 — by a goal, no less.
“I think that’s probably been a real key factor for us is we’re not reliant on any one given person,” Simpson said.
“Whilst on the weekend my starting seven were incredible and I didn’t really need to make any changes, I’m very ready and prepared to use all 10 girls.
“They’re all ready, they’re all more than able and I think that’s going to be a key to our success; that whole team play.
“We don’t have one or two players where we’re very reliant on them having a good game, we’re very much a ‘seven on the court need to do their jobs’.
“And that’s the only way your’re going to beat Mooroopna, is that everyone fires together.”