With the courts coming alive with competitive netball once again on Saturday, the Towners headed to Nagambie Recreation Reserve to face the Lakers in a tough early season test for co-coaches Kolby Wild and Jayde Burden.
Having finished ninth last year with a 5-10-1 record and eyeing a return to finals in 2026, the Towners were looking to cause a splash, however the Lakers proved too polished, with the third-placed side from last season condemning Violet Town to a 24-54 loss first up.
It was a much closer affair in B grade for the Towners, though, taking it right up to the Lakers but falling just short in a 36-38 defeat, while both the C grade and C Reserve sides were competitive, but also went down, falling 20-26 and 28-41, respectively.
In the juniors, the under-17 Towners fought hard but fell 22-42, the under-15 side suffered a 12-55 loss, while the under-13 side picked up points in a tight affair, the final score a 22-22 draw, and the under-11s were valiant in a 6-21 defeat.
In other A grade KDL news, Shepparton East has continued its winning ways with a first-up victory, continuing its winning ways after a dream undefeated premiership season last year.
But it wasn’t exactly in the totally dominant fashion the league has become accustomed to seeing in recent times from the Eagles, with a determined Tallygaroopna forcing the issue all the way until the final siren at Central Park Recreation Reserve.
The class of the Eagles prevailed when needed, though, ensuring their premiership defence got off to a positive start with a 38-31 victory, a win which coach Kate Durling was more than pleased to walk away with.
“It was really tight fought match, actually, and Tally have improved a lot since last year,” she said.
“It was our first hit out as a new group, with two players in Olivia Keady and Hannah Doyle coming up from B grade, and they slotted in really nicely for their first hit out in A grade, so, yeah, look, I'm just happy to take the win.”
The two A grade debutants were replacing Leticia Robertson and Kara Pattison, both of whom will miss the 2026 season due to pregnancy, leading to a slightly new line up for the Eagles.
It is perhaps what enthuses Durling the most about the win, which her side was able to grind out while knowing that there is still plenty of improvement to come as they continue to build the on-court experience together.
“We're still learning the new combinations and adapting really well,” she said.
“There's lots to improve on and take from yesterday's game, and we'll build and work on that at training, so I'm happy with the win first round, that's for sure.”
Even more encouraging was the fact that Keady was named the Eagles’ best in the victory for her stopping job on a Redlegs superstar, with the club’s reigning B grade best and fairest and B grade grand final best on court medallist not once looking out of place.
“(Keady) stood up really well against Tally's new recruit, Tam Skinner,” Durling said.
“She had a big task ahead of her and I think she played really well, so she got our standout best on.
“We also had a milestone yesterday, so our second went to Rachael Bell who played her 100th senior game, too.”
The Eagles will look to continue their winning streak, which now stands at 18 games stretching back to the 2024 preliminary final, in round two, when they face Lancaster in what shapes as another big early season test.
“I think for us, we've looked to ‘Lanky’ second round and know that this is going to be a big challenge for us, they've recruited well in the off season,” Durling said.
“We're just going to work on our strategies, our structures and keep building into the year.
“Whatever happens next week, it's all a learning curve and what we can work on building towards the end of the year, and it's going to be a big challenge for us.”
In other Saturday match-ups, Longwood secured its first win since August 2024 with a 43-22 triumph over Undera, and Merrigum belted Murchison-Toolamba 60-18.
Sunday afternoon action saw Giragrre and Lancaster face off, with Lancaster winning 54 to 28, while Rushworth was too good for Stanhope, claiming a 49 to 22 victory.
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