NSW nets trifecta

Fly high: Cpl Leon Roberts (GD) attempts to block the shot of Pte Mike Egan (GA) as Navy Leut Steve Wall (GS) watches on during the netball final between Queensland (blue) and NSW (maroon) at Randwick Barracks.

Scramble: Pte Dave Seiter (GD) fights to retain the ball from Cfn Ben Van Der Togt (GS). Photos by LS Jodie Brown

By Leut Rachel Irving

THE NSW ADF men’s, women’s and mixed netball teams have made a clean sweep at the ADF National Netball titles in Sydney.

NSW dominated the three divisions of the competition with the women’s team winning through to the final undefeated.

The final between NSW and Victoria was a one-sided contest, with NSW winning by 15 points.

NSW started off well and by quarter time led by five points.

Some good shooting by Lt Chris Pope, ALTC Puckapunyal, brought Victoria to within three points of NSW, but in the end NSW scored a relatively easy 34-19 victory.

In the men’s final, NSW took on the Far North Queensland (FNQ) side and dominated the game from the beginning to record a 12-point win.

NSW played a disciplined and tight game, winning each of the four quarters of the match to defeat FNQ 39-27.

The scoreline did not reflect the closeness of the two teams or the match, with good performances in the FNQ side from Cpl Leon Roberts, 3CSSB, and Cfn Trent Kingston, 5 Avn Regt.

For NSW, Leut Steve Wall, HMAS Kuttabul, displayed fine shooting skills and LAC Jesse Surmiak, RAAF Base Williamtown, read the play well by controlling the game through the centre third of the court.

The mixed competition final between NSW and South East Queensland (SEQ) was one of the best encounters seen in the history of the competition.

In one of the earlier rounds, SEQ had defeated NSW by four points, so the match was bound to be a hard fought encounter, which it was from the first whistle.

The shooters went point for point and the defence worked hard.

For NSW, Leut Steve Wall proved his worth again by scoring well. At the other end of the court, Capt Michelle Wynn, 19 CE Wks, played well in defence.

In the third quarter, NSW, was up by just one goal, but let themselves down by allowing several turnovers.

SEQ capitalised on NSW’s errors by moving ahead 17-16.

SEQ goal defender Cpl Murray Severin, 2/14LHR, showed excellent hand-eye coordination and tipped away the ball several times to deny NSW goals.

SEQ finished the third quarter four points up, with excellent shooting by Sig Paul Farrell, 145 Sig Sqn.

They sensed victory and pulled away by seven points early in the last quarter, at which point the game seemed over for NSW. But Leut Wall began to make a real impact in the circle and with some good shooting NSW managed to level the score at the full-time whistle.

The game then went into overtime, with NSW eventually pulling away from SEQ to take the title 35-33.

Best and fairest award winners included Pte Shannon Taurua, 1CSR, (women’s) and Pte Micheal Egan, 1 Cdo Regt, (men’s). Runners-up included Pte Shay Tetford, 15 Tpt Sqn, (women’s) and WO1 Peta Dawe (mixed).