COMP’S ELITE KEEP RAISING THE BAR
Two of the TNL’s best teams continued to stamp their dominance in round 9 while another premiership contender was pushed to the limit by one of the competition’s most exciting young sides.
Here’s the five talking points from round 9.
5. KINGSTON RECORD HUGE PERCENTAGE BOOSTING WIN
They’ve sat in fourth position for the majority of the TNL season and the Kingston Blues once again showed on Thursday night that they are the best side outside the top three with a commanding 94-9 win over the Arrows. Erin Baker’s side dominated the winless Arrows from the outset and took a 40goal lead into the halftime break thanks to a strong showing on both ends of the court.
They eventually doubled that margin to 85 goals at the final siren with shooting duo Jane Richards (47 goals) and Nicole Hunt (44) doing the damage inside the circle.
The win saw the Blues boost their percentage to 137.82 and extend the gap between them
selves (5-4) and Devon (3-6) in the race for fourth sport.
4. HAWKS DEBUT TWO
They’ve been the benchmark of the TNL for the past two seasons and the undefeated Hawks showed on Saturday that their dominance may continue for a period of time yet.
Not only did they keep their undefeated run intact – more on that below – but they debuted two under-19s stars in Ella McArthur and Lily Humphreys against the South East Suns. With the Hawks holding a 37-goal lead at halftime, the pair came onto the court in the third quarter with McArthur not looking out of place in centre court and Humphreys starting in wing defence.
With two fresh faces now injected into an already star studded line-up, the Hawks’
run towards an undefeated season and a second straight premiership may very well have gotten even stronger.
3. DEVON PUSH CAVALIERS TO THE LIMIT
Two of the competition’s most exciting sides faced off for the second time this season on Saturday with the sequel just as good as the original.
The Cavaliers and Devon last met in round 4 with the Cavs standing tall despite a close first-half to eventually walk away 14 goal victors.
Saturday’s rematch at the Silverdome was much of the same with the two locked in constant battle of first-class netball throughout the game.
Devon raced out to a fourgoal quarter-time lead before the Cavs clawed back to lock the scores at 21 apiece at halftime. It was then, as if they
were sticking to the same script seen in the first encounter, that the Cavs took control with a 12-8 goal quarter before withstanding a brave Devon fightback in the last to secure their seventh win of the year with a 46-37 victory.
2. GUNN’S RETURN AN IMPORTANT ONE FOR CRIPPS
After missing three rounds earlier in the season, Cripps shooter Sophie Gunn made her second straight appearance against Karana on Thursday night.
Making her return last week against Kingston with 41 goals, Gunn backed it up with a strong 40-goal performance against the Flames in her side’s 78-29 goal domination.
Cripps’ four-pronged attack of Gunn, Sophie Pidgeon (15 goals), Katia Howell (14) and
Ashlea Turner (9) were far too strong for the Flames defensive. As they get set to do battle once again with the ladderleading Hawks and thirdplace Cavaliers in the backhalf of the season, having Gunn back in the line-up will give Cripps coach Aaron Pidgeon confidence they can make a challenge for the premiership this season.
1. HAWKS CONTINUE TO STAMP PREMIERSHIP FAVOURITISM
Reigning premiers and now 9-0 following a 76-goal win against the South East Suns away from home, the Hawks continue to go from strength to strength under new coach Alicia Sargent.
The Suns were never really in the game thanks to a beston-ground display from defender Lydia Coote at one end and captain Ash Mawer (63 goals) at the other.
While the result was one many predicted pre-game, it was an important win for the Hawks who face fellow topfour sides Kingston (round 11), Cavaliers (round 12) and Cripps Waratah (round 13) in the next month.