Girgarre’s Allana Adams played the entire game in defence for her team as the Kangaroos scored their sixth win of the season.
Girgarre netball officials may be rolling out the “one week at a time” quote when asked about their future fortunes in the Kyabram league A-grade competition, but there is no doubt their eyes will be firmly fixed on June 22.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
The second-ranked Kangaroos will face off in the round nine fixture with undefeated ladder-leader, and traditional rival, Lancaster in the game.
There is a general bye this weekend, then the in-form Kangaroos (6-1 win-loss) face second from the bottom Longwood before confronting the competition’s big improver - Lancaster.
Girgarre has lost only once this season, by a goal to third-ranked Shepparton East in round three, and have an 86-goal game to their credit (a week later against Rushworth).
With a superior percentage to Lancaster a win against the Wombats in that round nine fixture would take Girgarre to the top of the ladder.
On Saturday against Merrigum the Kangaroos were 29-goal winners, 49-20, with nine players used in securing the result.
Only star goaler Jacqui Gahan and defensive winger Elizabeth Pangrazio stayed in the same bib for the entire game, with Kimberley Hanna used at both ends of the court and Abigail Sergienko also seeing both offensive and defensive circles.
Gahan shot 12 goals in the opening term, supported by Hanna, then another 10 in the second with Darcie Stammers as her back up. In the second half she slowed considerably under the close checking of Merrigum defenders Breanna Baker and Emma Pummeroy and shot just 13 goals.
Girgarre winger Teah Ryan prepares to pass under pressure from Merrigum’s Jade Christou.
Merrigum sits 11th on the ladder, but is a much more competitive outfit than that ranking suggests.
The Bulldogs are among three teams with a 2-5 win-loss record and could improve dramatically with wins against Dookie United, Avenel or Undera in the next three games.
On Saturday Girgarre led by 11 goals at quarter time, by 17 at half time and by 23 at the final break.
Merrigum also used nine players in an attempt to stem the tide, Latie Doherty the most productive of its attacking players with nine goals for the game. She had Tahlia Murray and Georgia Wilson for company at different stages during the game.
Maddy Wilson played in three different positions for the game and Jade Christou also occupied several of the mid-court roles.
For the winners, Holly Nelson again worked in tandem with Sheree Starling, who was another of the Girgarre players to spend time in goals.
Watch the pages of the Free Press for a mid-year review next week and a preview of the big match in two weeks time between the league’s top two A-grade netball teams.
