Netball
28 August, 2025
Saints ready to bounce back against Bombers
Edenhope Apsley’s A grade netball team are ready to put last week’s heartbreaking qualifying loss behind them as they go against Noradjuha Quantong this Sunday for a spot in the preliminary final.
Just three weeks after losing to Rupanyup 47-46 off a buzzer-beater, Edenhope Apsley managed to cut a seven-goal fourth-quarter deficit in their qualifying final, only for Kalkee to hit the game-deciding shot with seconds to spare.
Despite the disappointing result, Edenhope Apsley coach Lavinia Fox says the team is using the week to learn from the defeat, identifying ball security as an area of improvement.
“I said to the girls that we'd have to look at this loss as an opportunity for growth, and while it is hard to have lost by a goal, it could have gone either way,” Fox said.
“Kalkee deserved to win that game and we need to reflect on what we can do better for the next time.
“As long as we're going in with that growth mindset, then I'm very confident that the following week we will continue to put out a stronger game of netball.
“We probably need to look after the ball a bit more and value that possession.
“And I think when we do play our game, we're finding each other really well, putting each other on extension, and I think that's the netball that we came back to in the fourth quarter, just trusting one another again.”
Conversely, Noradjuha Quantong enter Sunday having beaten 2024 premiers Laharum 46-39 in a climactic elimination final.
Following last week’s victory, co-coach Fiona Rowe spoke about the Bombers’ season being about producing four-quarter efforts as a team, hoping to carry last week’s momentum into their semi-final clash.
Edenhope Apsley and Noradjuha Quantong match up quite evenly across the midcourt, with each team having experienced success this year through players switching positions and making regular substitutions.
Rowe says the fitness of Izabella McIntyre will be monitored in the lead-up to the game after the young midcourter went down with a leg injury against the Demons.
“We’ll see how she goes this week,” Rowe said.
“She's a young and up-and-coming star so hopefully we can get her up and ready for next Sunday.”
The battle at both goal circles will be instrumental, particularly between Edenhope’s shooters and the Bombers’ defenders.
Dee Dee Lambert and Fox have proven to be a dynamic shooting tandem for the Saints in 2025, but they face off against Brooke Pay and Taylor Shelley, two of the best defenders in the league in recent years.
Fox has identified the height and positioning of Noradjuha Quantong’s own shooting duo, Shannon Couch and Taya Quick, as a key consideration for her team.
“With Noradjuha Quantong, they've got a lot of depth throughout their team and they've got a tall shooting circle as well,” Fox said.
“That was something that really stood out on the weekend: just their ability to score from under the post.
"Whether it's Shannon or their goal attack, they can find them both on the hold quite nicely."
Acknowledging that her side had beaten Noradjuha Quantong twice in the home and-away-season, the Edenhope Apsley coach said her side wouldn’t take them for granted.
“It's always going to be a high-intensity game and play against them,” Fox said.
“Although we did have quite a convincing win over them last time, we definitely won't be underestimating them as a team.
“The first time we played them in the rounds, it was a much closer game.
“We'll be going out there definitely wanting to focus on our own processes, and I think if we do that then hopefully we can get the win.”