Woodside Football Netball Club’s A Grade netball team will take on Rosedale FNC tomorrow in the North Gippsland Football-Netball League Grand Final.
Woodside has a lot to fight for in tomorrow’s NGFNL Grand Final after meeting Rosedale in the big dance in 2019, losing by just a few goals, and having topped the ladder last year, but was unable to play finals due to COVID.
The Wildcats also finished top of the ladder this year.
Leading the Wildcats to the NGFNL 2022 Grand Final is Woodside’s tenacious goal shooter and playing coach Elizabeth Nicol.
Nicol played netball for Woodside throughout her childhood until moving to Melbourne at the age of 18, where she lived, worked and played netball for the past 12 years.
Last year Nicol returned to her home roots, returning to Woodside FNC and taking on the position as A Grade coach.
Tomorrow’s instalment of the NGFL finals marks Nicol’s first Grand Final as Woodside FNC’s A Grade coach.
“We are super excited about the whole process,” Nicol said.
“After last year’s finals were cancelled, it feels like this has been two years in the making. The whole final series has just been a fantastic experience so far.”
Taylah Buckley, a new player to Woodside FNC this year, will be one to watch tomorrow in the NGFNL Grand Final.
“Taylah Buckley has been a really big threat this year,” said Nicol. “She is an absolute work-horse in the centre; she works hard all over the court, she is a weapon in defence, and her feeds are really accurate too. She just runs the centre court, so I think she’ll be really good.”
Having lost to Rosedale in the semi-final, Woodside is drawing their focus inwards on what they need to do as a team to get them over the line.
“We know Rosedale are a really strong side and we love coming up against them. Pressure is a privilege, and to come up against the best of the best, that’s why we play,” Nicol said.
“We are just going to go into this week thinking about us, thinking about what we have to do, what our game plan is, so we are not really focused on them as a team; we are more focused on us. When we play good netball, I think we are absolutely unstoppable as a team.”
Tomorrow’s North Gippsland Football Netball League A Grade netball Grand Final starts at 2.15pm at Heyfield Football-Netball Club.
The Woodside team is:
1Holly Johnston – Goalkeeper/goal defence
Relentless in defence. She is a strong, fierce competitor who will get any ball coming her way—2021 NGFNL most valued player who loves to get the cheese.
2Caitlan Ponton – Goal defence/goalkeeper
Tenacious in defence. She is an absolute work-horse with a ‘never-say-die’ attitude. Reliably drives the ball through the mid-court and ensures a seamless transition down the court.
3Taylah Buckley – centre/wing defence
She is an extremely hard worker who will put her head over any loose ball and chase it down like there’s no tomorrow. She can hit the circle like a boss and has consistently accurate feeds.
4Jess Banik – wing attack/goal attack
Rock solid attack. She is calm and composed under pressure, knows her role and executes it consistently. She takes strong drives through the court and finishes effortlessly.
5Brittany Mustoe – goal attack/centre
A playmaker in the attack end. She takes the cuts and drives with speed and plays a smart game in attack. Mustoe owns the line on the centre pass, can take a strong contested ball and is not afraid to send it.
6Libby (Elizabeth) Nicol – goal shooter/goal attack
Strong, accurate goaler. Nicol demands the ball from anywhere in the front end of the court. She runs the goal circle with confidence and is a dominant presence in the shooting ring.
7Jen Duncan – goal attack/goal shooter
Extremely smart, complemented by a wealth of experience and can shoot from anywhere. Duncan’s court craft and vision down court make her a huge threat in the attacking line. A big game player and a dominant presence in the goal circle.
8Demi Godenzi – wing attack/goal attack
She owns the line on the centre pass and gets great depth on her drives in the attacking end. Godenzi has an incredible defensive game and is a constant headache for defenders trying to bring the ball down the court. She believes in her side and will stop at nothing to get her team over the line.
9Leah Stoffels – wing attack/centre
Speedy drives in attack and owns a front cut every time. She hits the circle edge with speed, is extremely smart with her placement of the ball and is an all-round commanding presence in the front line.
10Georgie Banik – wing defence/goal defence
A tower of strength in defence whose hands over is a nightmare for any opponent. Banik is a highly versatile player who drives fearlessly through the court. An absolute rock in defence with a true commitment to the game.
