Record 7th premiership grand final for Federal Club Eastside

By STEVE MENZIES

Federal Club Eastside won the club a record seventh consecutive KFC A-Grade premiership in the Alice Springs Netball Association grand final day on Saturday.

It defeated Rovers Complete Construction 52-42 after a hard-fought contest from the start to finish.

Captain Tahlia Lee and coach Deb Gray have been part of all the successes. 

Federal scored the first goal, off a Rovers centre pass, and apart opening minutes were not headed for the rest of the game.

The margin was only five, with five minutes to play, but Federal powered home scoring seven goals to two to the end of the game.

Rovers shooter Wendy Stafford returned to Alice Springs for the grand final and she was a constant threat as Rovers continually directed its attacks through her.

Stafford finished the game with 34 goals but as the game wore on Federal goal keeper Katelyn Henwood managed to gain important possessions.

The star for Federal was shooter Brooke Wilson, who scored 44 goals to be awarded the player of the match award. This followed her winning the player of the match in the 2020 Club Eastside A-Reserves grand final.

It was a hard decision for the award selectors as Ellie Herbert, who played the game at wing attack despite injuring her hand in the first quarter which required her to go to hospital after the game.

Lee Wilcox described the whole Federal team – including goal attack Simone Tribe, centre Dana Schembri and reserve Carly Wilson who had a brief run at the end of the third and beginning of the fourth terms – as “awesome”.

Lauren Parai, Tracey Meekings and Lucy Nikolai all battled hard for Rovers to keep Federal out.

The score was 14-14 at quarter time, 29-21 at the long break and 38-33 at the last change.

It was a good day for the association with four clubs winning premierships. Federal won four, Rovers three, Seasons two, Giants and Wests one each.

Rovers Complete Construction put its stamp on the A-Reserves final against Wests Epilogue from the start and continued to increase its lead in each quarter, running out 49-38 victors.

Shooter Jordann Hickey was in imperial form from the start scoring nine of Rovers 13 first-quarter goals.

Meanwhile, at the other end, Rovers defenders Milly Scollen and Ali Dooley-McDonnell were able to curtail dangerous Wests attackers Kathleen Axten and Tiarni Pon while Rovers centre Christa Ziem was busy all around the court.

Hickey was named best on court.

Seasons Complete Fencing & Steel Sales, in the B-Grade final, had the biggest win of the day defeating Federal MPH 44-28.

Federal led 11-10 after the first quarter but Seasons powered away, especially in the second half when it scored 25 goals to 11.

Seasons defender Krydence Schwalger was named best on court.

The B2-Grade title was won by Rovers Complete Construction 33-28 against Federal AKC.

It was an even game throughout with Rovers leading by one goal at the final change.

Rovers wing attack Carly Eden won the best on court award.

It took extra time to determine the winner of the C-Grade grand final between Rovers BnTz and Federal P&V Flames.

Federal came from four goals behind at three-quarter time to snatch the 38-36 win after the two seven-minute extra periods.

Flames centre-court player Rhiannon Monkerud won the best on court award.

Federal Red defeated Giants Bark’n’Bath 43-36 in the 17-and-under division I final.

It led 12-9 at quarter time and 23-17 at the long break. Giants, with Elizabeth Johnson shooting 10 goals in the third quarter, fought back to trail by one at the final change.

Federal brought Jayla Shacklady back on to play centre, after being rested in the third term, and scored 14 goals to six.

It was the third time in as many games that Federal upset the minor premier.

Johnson was named best on court.

Rovers Ravens continued its domination os the 17s division II defeating Sundowners Elders Insurance 32-18.

Sundowners began well, leading by a goal at quarter time and trailing by two at the half-time break.

Kayla Wilkie was a hot shot in the third term netting 10 goals as Rovers scored 11-3 to hold a winning edge going into the final 15 minutes.

Rovers defender Adele Johnson was selected as best on court.

A strong second half, when it scored 25 goals to 16 earned Federal Fever a 39-37 win against Seasons ASYASS in the 15-and-under grade.

Federal defender Nellie Crellin, who played the first half at goal keeper and the second at goal defence, was named best on court.

The 13-and-under division I premiership was won by Wests LinkUp 25-13 against Rovers Raiders.

Wests Nyabiel Wuordol was named best on court after shooting 17 goals in the first three quarters when playing at goal attack before being moved to wing attack for the final stanza.

The division II title was won by Giants Hydrokleen 20-11 against Seasons R&R + Bookkeeping with goal attack Maisie Johnson scoring 10 goals in three quarters, including five in the first term to help Giants to a 7-4 lead and it was never headed.

Six goals to nil in the second term set Seasons Alice Springs Screws Club on the path to a 12-3 win against Rovers Raptors in the 11-and-under grade.

Seasons’ shooter Muriwai Ford was named best on court.

There are still tickets available for the netball gala awards presentation night on Friday.

The next round of six weeks of mixed netball will begin in early November. Keep an eye out for the team nomination form.