Early triumph

The cut-throat 2018 Horsham District finals series started a little earlier for Kalkee, which qualified for post-season action with a thrilling win over Noradjuhaquantong on Saturday. The Kees had a commanding lead halfway through the last round of the homeand-away season but were forced to combat a fast-finishing Bombers outfit to hold on for the win. Kalkee coach Jaymi O’connor said she and her charges were thrilled with the triumph. “We are so excited to have made finals, and to achieve it with the whole club supporting us from the sidelines was something really special,” she said.

“It was basically the first round of finals for our A Grade girls.”

The win enabled the Kees to slip into sixth spot, putting the Bombers out of the race.

O’connor said she looked forward to seeing what her team could deliver during Saturday’s elimination final against Harrow-balmoral.

“A lot of our girls have not played senior netball finals before so it’s a great opportunity for us,” she said.

“We are confident we can be competitive with anyone in the finals series.”

Kalkee has been a bit of a mixed bag in 2018, finishing with nine wins and seven losses to its name.

“We have been really versatile and been able to try multiple combinations throughout the season, which has set us up well for the finals,” O’connor said.

“Making finals was our goal at the start of the season, so we feel proud to have achieved that.”

The Kees have plenty to offer and are strong and quick down the court.

Jenna Bywaters has proved a more-thanhandy pick-up for the side. The athletic, versatile goalie has impressed with her accuracy along with her ability to provide drive and create play in attack.

“We also have Tamara Exell in goals and she is such a reliable and accurate shooter,” O’connor said.

The Kees have plenty of midcourt options, with O’connor, Millie Mcrae, Remy Hoffmann, Emily Hannan and Grace Lutze all capable of several positions.

“Millie is super fit and athletic. She has had a blinder of a season, leading by example as captain. Remy is a tight defensive player who causes headaches for opposition wing attacks, Emily is a flashy midcourter who takes spectacular intercepts and Grace reads the ball well and provides strong drive out of defence,” O’connor said.

Clair Mcdonald and Coco Ledgar make up the last line of defence. Mcdonald shows plenty of leadership and direction, creates consistent opportunities for turnovers and has a great leap, while Ledgar is a strong, physical defender who continues to improve as the season progresses.

Kalkee has focused on fitness this season and O’connor believes it will stand her charges in good stead.

“Our fitness is our strength – we have worked hard all year to make sure that we can out-run other teams,” O’connor said.

“Our defensive pressure across the court is also a big strength.”

The Kees have had a strong season as a club, with six of seven netball teams qualifying for finals, including a minor premiership for C Grade.

“We are all so proud of our teams that have made finals,” O’connor said.