SAINTS BOSS HAILS ’AMAZING’ WALTERS

ST MARY’S coach Simone Segrave has praised young gun Emma Walters, saying the teenage sensation has matured beyond her years as one of her team’s key players this season.

Walters (pictured) has added depth to her club’s Agrade side and helped propel it towards a potential double chance, dominating opponents sometimes twice her age.

“Emma is amazing and she is just such a quality girl anyway, but on the court she is just such a good person to have,” Segrave said.

“I think last year because of her other commitments she played a few games here and there but she has been a steady player for us in our centre third this year.

“She is a girl to watch in the future, that is for sure, but she is amazing in our team and it is really nice to watch her play.”

The Saints sit in fifth spot on the GFNL A-grade ladder but will get a true indication of how far they have come after this weekend’s bye when they face St Albans, North Shore, Colac, Newtown & Chilwell and South Barwon in a five-week stint that could determine where it finishes on the table come the end of the season.

Segrave said she was confident heading into the challenging period.

“We have got a pretty tough six weeks after the bye,” she said. “It is very even, and Newtown has shown it is very hard to beat, but from second down to seventh or eighth it is very even and any team can win on the day. Colac proved that against St Albans and Joeys have proven how strong they are against South Barwon on the weekend.”

The GFNL resumes competition next week with the top two teams, Newtown & Chilwell and St Joseph’s, to meet in the match of the round at Elderslie Reserve.