General News
15 June, 2022
Bloods short on experience, not heart
WITH a playing list depleted by injury, illness and unavailability, Terang Mortlake open netball coach Sharon Kenna knew her side faced a tough assignment against a classy Cobden outfit.
WITH a playing list depleted by injury, illness and unavailability, Terang Mortlake open netball coach Sharon Kenna knew her side faced a tough assignment against a classy Cobden outfit.
And tough it was, with the Bombers taking the lead early and never giving ground to win 69-27 in blustery conditions.
The Bloods, who have struggled with absences for much of the season so far, were missing three key players in star recruit goal shooter Eboni Knights, midcourter Emma Lucas and captain Rhi Davis.
After weeks of drawing on the club’s division one side for replacements, Kenna decided to play three juniors on the weekend.
“A lot of my division one players have been playing half-games, and I wanted them to have full games in their div one grade,” she said.
“It’s not fair to keep bringing them up and giving them a half here, a half there."
“So that’s where I decided to bring these kids in. It was a tough game to throw them in under that pressure, but they all tried their best."
“They did all the things I asked them to do, I couldn’t have expected any more from them on the court.”
Aimee Moloney was best on court for the Bloods, while goalie Jacqui Arundell was also in the votes with 17 goals for her side, and Kenna praised the efforts of her experienced players.
“Aimee and Jacqui just worked their butts off for the entire game. They were trying to set up so much play and get the ball through and down to our goal end,” she said.
“They worked really hard, they were really solid for all four quarters."
“That’s what I asked of the players, to give me their very best for four quarters, and they did.”
This week Terang Mortlake hosts Camperdown, who are in a similar position to the Bloods both in terms of personnel difficulties and ladder position.
Kenna said both teams would see the game as an opportunity to break their respective run of losses and hoped her side could repeat its first-round win against the Magpies.
“The last time we played it could have gone either way, it was a really tight match,” she said.
“There’s nothing between the two sides, and we’re probably in the same position, I know they’ve had injuries and things as well."
“So it’ll be one of those really tough games where, hopefully, we can get out and play better, and I’m sure they’ll be looking to do the same.”
Kenna said she was cautiously optimistic on the return of some of her injured and ill players.
“I’m hoping at least three will come back fully fit, but I won’t know till we do training this week,” she said.
“Eboni thought she’d be right to play last week, but her calf didn’t pull up quite right, and Rhi should be back."
“Emma’s had x-rays on her wrist, it’s not broken, but it’s still giving her a lot of grief, so we’ll see."
“Camperdown will be a good test to see whether we’ve improved. But it’d just be nice to have a full team.”