Sport
22 July, 2025
Thunder storm into home straight
The early bird gets the worm, or at least the game with minimal wind, as Southern Mallee Thunder's Moddies discovered on Saturday.
Scarlett started us off strong with a winning toss and our Grade 5s played out the game as leaders, showing the way for our younger Thunder stars.
Our defenders were under pressure from the first whistle but stood strong.
As the game developed, our players settled and began to find the front position and space around the court.
They also found the scoreboard and finished the game with six goals.
Our Grade 3 players jumped at the opportunity to have another run in the Moddies team and showed us their hard work is paying off.
All players continue to listen at training and try their best and are improving their skills.
Given the constant rotation within the Moddies group, gelling as a team is a constant challenge, but these kids rise to the occasion week in, week out.
Awards:
Thunder canteen – Daisy Webster: Daisy put in a defensive performance to be proud of and finished off the game running the centre and feeding our goalies well. She has shown immense improvement in all aspects of her game and Saturday was proof of that. Fantastic, Daisy.
Mealsbox canteen – Marley Jones: Marley covered all areas of the court and didn’t let a couple of first-quarter visits to the ground get in her way. She showed off some skills learnt in the buddy session and shot two goals. Well done, Marley.
Under 13s
The Thunder girls entered round 13 with determination, ready to take on the Burras after their previous clash ended in a draw.
From the first whistle to the final siren, the game was a nail-biter, with scores locked or separated by a single goal at every quarter break.
It was a tightly contested match, demanding grit and persistence from every player on court.
The Thunder girls dug deep across all four quarters, showing incredible commitment to every intercept, rebound and loose ball opportunity, converting them into much-needed goals.
In defence, Pippa Fisher, Elka, Mia and Amelia were outstanding.
Pippa, Mia and Elka refused to let the Burra shooters settle, applying relentless pressure and coming away with multiple rebounds and crucial intercepts.
Through the midcourt, Pippa Shannon, Sophie and Emily attacked the contest at every opportunity.
Their smart ball movement and determined drives forward opened up scoring chances and set up smooth passages into the ring.
In the circle, Ava and Felicity worked tirelessly against tight defensive pressure.
Felicity used her body cleverly to position herself for strong shots while Ava showcased her versatility, rebounding, defending and picking up timely turnovers to keep Thunder in the contest.
With the scores tied at 25-all in the final minute, Thunder pushed forward one last time.
With just 13 seconds left on the clock, Felicity calmly positioned herself in the circle, received the pass and delivered under pressure, sealing a thrilling win with a composed, match-winning goal.
The girls held their nerve, showed maturity and proved they’ve learnt from earlier close encounters.
It was a gutsy, well-deserved win that will go down as one to remember.
Final score: SM Thunder 26 defeated Minyip Murtoa 25
Awards: KC Hairdressing – Pippa Fisher; Lanes and Games – Pippa Shannon; coaches – Ava Puckle
Under 15s
The girls put on a fantastic performance, coming away with a strong 21-goal win despite the challenging windy conditions.
It was a true all-round team effort with every player contributing to the result.
The shooters were especially impressive, maintaining great accuracy even in the tough weather.
Down the other end, the defensive pressure was outstanding, creating numerous turnovers and setting the tone early.
The whole team worked hard across the court and should be really proud of such a great win.
Well done, girls: a great display of teamwork and determination.
Final score: SM Thunder 35 defeated Minyip Murtoa 14
Awards: 1st – Lilly Puckle (sponsored by Bow Bakery); 2nd – Addison Fisher (sponsored by Petschel Towel)
UNDER 17s
It was a tough game for the girls but they put all their efforts in, going down 56-9 after an excellent effort from the Burras girls.
Defence worked brilliantly, having as much pressure on the ball as possible and getting several turnovers.
The first award went to Belle Heath, who had an excellent game in the defense end, getting intercept after intercept and working extremely hard to keep the ball out of the ring.
Esther Kelly got the second award, being moved between many of positions throughout the game and managing to flick from defensive to attacking easily.
Final score: Minyip Murtoa 56 defeated SM Thunder 9
Awards: Belle Heath, Esther Kelly
C grade
Thunder came out with all guns ablazing in the first quarter, with youngster Luca Landrigan starring in defence with Rach.
These girls tirelessly worked all day.
Kim, Kate, Jade, Kat and Vee all worked hard through the midcourt.
Bronte and Remy worked well in the goals but the wind was proving difficult for us to get the goals in.
The girls played well and kept up with Minyup Murtoa girls but didn’t get there in the end.
Final score: Minyip Murtoa 35 defeated SM Thunder 24
Awards: Kim Decker, Remy George, Luca Landrigan
B grade
The B grade girls played an incredibly intense game, and their teamwork, resilience and determination shone through despite the cold and windy conditions.
The defensive pressure applied down the court was impressive, accompanied by excellent movement and passages of play.
Additionally, accurate shooting, strong rebounding and solid defensive pressure in the ring and down the court made for a compelling performance.
Unfortunately the girls couldn't quite secure the win, with Minyip Murtoa edging ahead with a few extra goals in the final minutes.
Final score: Minyip Murtoa 40 defeated SM Thunder 34
Awards: Shelby Donnan, Macey Huf
A grade
The Southern Mallee Thunder stormed to an emphatic victory over the Burras, securing a dominant win with a final margin of 46 goals.
From the first whistle, A grade Thunder set the tone with slick ball movement, strong defensive pressure and clinical finishing in the goal circle.
The attacking end was firing on all cylinders, Jodie Hayes providing seamless feeds in to the shooters who capitalised on every opportunity.
Thunder’s midcourt brought intensity and control, transitioning the ball with confidence and linking defence to attack with ease.
In defence, Sydney Thorogood stood strong, forcing turnovers and applying relentless pressure that rattled the Burras’ attacking structure.
Intercepts and deflections were turned into scoring opportunities and the team’s ability to reset and maintain composure ensured the scoreboard kept ticking over.
The win highlights Thunder’s depth and growing momentum as they head into the back half of the season with confidence.
It was a proud and powerful display from the Thunder, and eyes now on next week as they continue to build.
Final score: SM Thunder 68d defeated Minyip Murtoa 22
Awards: Taya Horman, Caitlin Douglas
