It was a season that never really got going for Rochester’s A-grade netballers, but the Tigers were able to exit the 2024 Goulburn Valley League with their heads held high on Saturday.
Wins and losses, smiles and trials — whatever you call it, the highs and lows shared and witnessed on the court throughout 2024 have concluded for six of the 12 sides competing for glory.
Rochester and Shepparton United had nothing other than pride to play for in their last dance with knockout action out of reach, but that didn’t dent the spirits of the Tigers and Demons on a top-notch day at Deakin Reserve.
A game that ebbed and flowed eventually went Rochester’s way, the Tigers clinging to a six-goal victory despite United’s best efforts of a swashbuckling comeback.
Tigers co-coach Linda Rasmussen was awash with pride as her girls stepped off the court for the last time this season, lauding Rochester’s fight in a game that threatened to tip over at the end.
“It’s actually just pleasing that we’ve got a full team on the court,” she said.
“We haven’t had a full team the whole season, so it’s nice to finish with a high and know what we can do next year hopefully.
“They played well; there were a few patches where we were a bit up and down which felt a bit like our season, but as a whole I thought they played really nice, open netball.
“It was a good way to end.”
Rochester stole a march late in the first quarter to lead 14-10 at the opening break, but a noticeable gulf emerged in the second as the Tigers broke out to an 11-goal advantage by the half.
Goaling duo Teal Hocking and Tia Webb almost had free rein under the ring as countless lobbed feeds found Webb, who shot with metronomic precision against star United defender Grace McInneny who played her 100th game for the club.
Ella Roulston had pep in her step through the centre for Rochester, meaning Laura Cole’s workload was amplified trying to contain the leaping Tiger.
At United’s shooting end, though, Tamara Skinner was up to her usual tricks.
The seasoned goaler did her utmost to keep the Demons on task, but at three-quarter time with 15 goals to make up, it was anything but straightforward from the Demons’ perspective.
Then something clicked.
Hannah Onley truly announced herself amid a United barrage as she drained one after the other, thrusting the host closer and closer to parity.
But ultimately, the Demons train stopped short of the final destination as Rochester was able to hang on to a 52-46 win to round out the season in ninth.
Rasmussen singled out Hocking, Bridgette Holt and Charlee Roulston as standout Tigers performers but showered praise on her whole squad in the wake of what has been an injury-riddled campaign.
“In all honesty, it was just about survival this year,” she said.
“Having both our goalers out, it just made for a tough season and being from little Rochy town, we don’t have as much depth as these bigger towns.
“We’re just pleased with the girls and what they could do; they kept fighting and they did what they could for the club.
“We had girls step up from B-grade for heaps of games and sometimes for two games a day, so (I’m) just proud of the girls for everyone helping each other out and (it’s) just a really good community club.”