Netball: Sharks win in state league thriller

Reigning Smarter Than Smoking State League netball premiers Coastal Sharks showed they still had the edge over multiple State champions Midland Brick Demons in a round 3 fixture played in Albany on Saturday night.

Picture by Laurie Benson: The Demons Sharne Morama shoots during Saturday night’s State League netball match in Albany.

Despite losing five of their premiership players, Sharks led from start to finish to win 52-47 in front of an estimated crowd of 500 at Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre.

Game-winning performances included a brilliant display of fingertip precision from 19-year-old league debutante Katie Swetman and a tireless effort from centre Jaimee Charle.

Swetman exercised spellbinding ball control to finish one goal behind game high scorer and former West Coast Fever player Ashleigh Neal with 30 goals shooting at 71 per cent.

Former Australian player and Sharks coach Sally Ironmonger was extremely happy with Swetman’s first senior game, saying she exhibited immense strength against notoriously tough Demons defenders.

Ironmonger added the win was a major confidence booster after the Sharks lost their first 2012 game, finding themselves on the bottom of the STSSL ladder.

“We are very happy to come away with the win and it was a good return to form,” she said.

The undermanned Demons looked menacing in the first quarter when they fought back from a disappointing start to be only %a goal down at the first break.

But they were dealt a devastating blow when goal shooter Sharne Morama went down with a knee injury and was sidelined for the remainder.

During the third quarter Demons’ offensive third came under siege, thanks much to the rugged physicality of wing defence Kym Chandler, whose imposing presence was felt by the opposition in the centre third.

Despite the score line blowing out to 13 goals at one stage, Demons coach Nicky Prothero remained unperturbed about the loss and was happy her side fought back later in the game.

“It could have blown out to 20 but we came back strongly, which was good,” she said.

“We’re a new outfit so it’s about finding our feet and we had a few State players away which left gaps in the team.”

Netball WA marketing executive Emily Wise said the pinnacle match provided a well-earned spectacle for participants and volunteers involved in the three-day coaching, umpiring and playing netball festival in Albany.

josh.nyman@albanyadvertiser.com