By Kieran Iles
BFNL and Ovens and Murray netball leaders have identified the ability to adapt to changing game situations and fresh opponents as the keys to success in their senior netball showdown at the QEO this Saturday.
As with most interleague contests - the first of two involving the two leagues over the next two years – the much-anticipated clash will present plenty of unknowns, headlined by player unfamiliarity.
The two leagues have squared off only occasionally over the last decade in Association Championships round robin matches (two eight-minute halves), but have never played each other in a full-scale interleague clash.
Bendigo won the last such meeting 18-10 in 2023, despite the O&M playing off in the final against Banyule District and the BFNL being eliminated in the semi-finals.
While O&M have regularly been involved in interleague matches in recent times against Goulburn Valley, this year’s clash marks a return to representative netball for the BFNL senior team, which last played against Outer East in 2018.
Four of the players from that game – Chelsea Sartori, Abbey and Ash Ryan and Meg Williams – will again don the blue and gold.
With a prodigiously talented line-up at her disposal, boasting plenty of VNL and other big game experience – and even a sprinkling of SSN representation - BFNL coach Tarryn Rymer is rapt to be back on the interleague stage.
“Obviously, with the structure, it’s been more manageable going back to just the one (interleague) game and having most of our best players playing,” she said.
“It’s going to be great for the girls to test themselves against an obviously strong Ovens and Murray.
“It’s a long way for their players to come and it’s a bit of an unknown. We don’t really know too much about any of their players.
“I feel it’s important for us to have a versatile group, to change the combinations up as much as we may need.
“But we’ve tried to make sure we have some existing connections across the court when selecting the team.”
The BFNL team, to be captained by two-time league best and fairest Sartori, comprises players from four of the league’s nine clubs.
Four are from reigning premiers Kangaroo Flat, including former Melbourne Vixen Ruby Barkmeyer – the vice-captain – three from Gisborne, two from Sandhurst and one from South Bendigo.
Rymer - a dual A-grade premiership coach with Gisborne - sees her side’s versatility and established connections as their strength.
“It will be one of those games in which we will have to adapt and try and figure out our opponents as quickly as possible,” she said.
“But the other side of it is, when you don’t know too much about the opposition, we are able to really focus hard on our ourselves and what we do.
“We’ve talked about being flexible and being able to change things up, depending on different game scenarios and what is thrown at us.”
Strong all over the court, the experience and skill of Barkmeyer and Abbey Ryan, combined with the strength and smarts of South Bendigo’s Gabe Richards in attack, shapes as an obvious key to victory.
“They’re all premiership players in this league and at different clubs and at different times,” Rymer said.
“They will definitely bring a lot of experience to the goal circle.”
Like the BFNL, O&M will boast plenty of existing connections, with only four clubs represented in the 12-player team, including a team-high six from second-placed Wodonga Raiders and three from Wodonga.
Undefeated league leaders Yarrawonga have two players in the team – Maddy Allen and Gemma Muldoon – while Mikaela Trethowan is the sole Corowa-Rutherglen representative.
O&M netball director Tamara Matthews is excited by the team’s blend of youth and experience and overall high-calibre of talent.
“A lot of our players have played rep netball before, but we also have some young up and comers and some new faces coming through,” she said.
“It’s a nice mix.
“What we do have is some nice club connections through the team, with most clubs having more than one representative.
“That’s a real bonus in terms of on-court connection, as we have seen in the past.
“Wodonga Raiders are certainly having some big wins and have just the one loss to Yarrawonga, who were grand finalists against them last year, and are traditionally strong.”
Matthews hailed the inclusion of Raiders goal keeper Eliza Mooney as a big inclusion for the O&M.
No stranger to Bendigo netball fans, Mooney is into her second season with the Strikers VNL 23-and-under team and was their best and fairest last season.
“She’ll give us some great height, combining with our other defenders in her Raiders teammate Mackensey House and Cara Woodman (Bulldogs), against some pretty quality Bendigo shooters,” Matthews said.
At the other end of the court, Bulldogs goal shooter Molly Moylan is coming off an impressive national championships campaign, helping Victoria to an under-19s bronze medal.
The 18-year-old last year co-captained the 17-and-under state team.
Joining her in the goal circle will be experienced interleague reps, Yarrawonga’s Allen and Raiders’ Emily Stewart and Taylor Donelan, best on court in her club’s first-ever A-grade netball premiership last season.
Matthews said the opportunity for the league to test itself against one of country Victoria’s acknowledged best in Bendigo was one too good to pass up.
“We are aware that there are some very high-level netballers playing in that competition; it’s going to be great for our girls to come up against some fresh faces,” she said.
“We’ve worked hard on trying to get our selection processes right in terms of building a culture and team of players who feel privileged to pull on and Ovens and Murray dress.
“These girls want to be there.”
