From last to first as Magpies withstand Narrikup challenge to clinch Albany Netball Association A1 premiership

Magpies 1 completed a remarkable turnaround, going from last place to premiers in the space of a year, as they won an absorbing Albany Netball Association A1 grand final on Saturday afternoon. After finishing at the bottom of the ladder in 2020 with only one win to their name, a new-look Magpies side stormed up the ladder this season and finished A1 premiers for the third time in the past seven years. A superb final term helped Magpies secure the title, withstanding a strong fightback from Narrikup 1 in the third quarter to eventually win by 11 goals. Narrikup, chasing back-to-back premierships, trailed by eight goals at half-time after Magpies controlled the second term but the game came alive in the third stanza. Despite three early Narrikup goals, Magpies goal shooter Emma Holliday couldn’t be stopped at the other end as she constantly converted to maintain her side’s comfortable advantage. The momentum changed however in a matter of minutes as Kristie Slater got on top in centre court and fed the ball into the dangerous Sheridan Kowald. Kowald at one stage had five goals in a row as she hauled Narrikup back into the contest before fellow shooter Casey Greay put them in front late in the third. An 18-goal third quarter from Narrikup had the game on a knife’s edge going into the final term as Magpies led by a single goal. Scores were level twice early in the fourth as the two sides traded goals but Magpies kept finding the answers in attack as they quickly moved five goals ahead. In the defining moment of the game Magpies scored five successive goals, including two clutch finishes from Brittany Finigan, to open up a match-winning nine goal lead midway through the final quarter. Magpies finished 59-48 winners at the final whistle to win a third A1 premiership since 2015. Winning coach Rosemary Wolter said there were a number of personnel changes from last year to this season but believes their mix of youth and experience was key to the title triumph. “The biggest thing was everyone in the team had a job to do and a role on each player from Narrikup and they did that,” Wolter said. “In the third quarter their centre to goal attack started to work for them but we made a few changes at three-quarter-time and nullified that in the fourth. “We are rapt to win, Magpies is the development arm of Denmark Netball Association and it also helps that all our girls play in Denmark as well, a bit more netball at a competitive level.” Finigan deservedly won the Lucille Holt perpetual trophy as the fairest and best player in the grand final after her highly influential display in attack. She was incredibly accurate, finishing with 27 goals from 30 attempts including 10 in the all-important fourth quarter. Emma Holliday didn’t miss until her 24th attempt which was in the final term and finished with 32 goals at 94 per cent efficiency while Amy Dominiak provided great drive after quarter-time and Megan Ross was also outstanding in centre court. After a shaky start Magpies took a one-goal advantage into quarter-time and they pushed that to eight after netting 17 goals to 10 in the second, as Emma Holliday scored 10 from 10. Slater tried gallantly to lift Narrikup to victory, playing the entire game at centre while Kowald netted 29 goals at 74 per cent and Casey Greay was terrific with 19 goals from 23 attempts. Sian Lucas was a valuable contributor at wing attack but her side couldn’t match Magpies in the fourth. “(Magpies) just wanted it a bit more,” Narrikup coach Lisa O’Farrell said. “They were a bit more precise on court and their shooters were just awesome.” “Britt was just on and Emma hardly missed anything and we had trouble shutting them down. “I’m so proud of what my girls did in the third, it turned the game around but it just wasn’t meant to be.”