2022 Netball Association Championships Finals

Netball players from North Gippsland Football-Netball League, Gippsland League and Sale Netball Association competed in the Netball Victoria Association Championships Final Days on Sunday, July 24.

ale Netball Association Under 15 representative Chloe Scott defends at the Association Championships in Melbourne on Sunday, July 24. Photos supplied.

The 22nd Netball Victoria Association Championships Final Days saw thousands of Victorian netball players compete in the round-robin style tournament in Melbourne.

Formed in 2000, the Victorian Association Championships are a crucial part of the Netball Victoria pathway, with talent identification opportunities for athletes, umpires and coaches from the qualifying events through to finals, which sees nearly 200 Victorian associations and leagues take part each year.

This year, Sale Netball Association Under 15s, Gippsland League Under 15s, Gippsland League Under 17s and North Gippsland League Under 17s qualified for the Victorian Association Championships finals.

Gippsland netball players dug deep, giving it 100 per cent in every game.

Sale Netball Association and Gippsland League Under 15s won their games in Round 1 of the Association Championship Finals, but were defeated in Rounds 2 and 3.

Round 4 saw the local Under 15s teams go head-to-head, with Gippsland League defeating Sale Netball Association 22 to 10.

The Sale Netball Association Under 15 team Tara Dihood, Chloe Scott, Ella Osborne, Madi Jones, Tara McInnes, Jazz Anstee, Caitlyn Reid, Bella Forsyth, Emma Best and Mia Ballinger.

Sale Netball Association and Gippsland League Under 15s won their Round 5 games, with the girls from Gippsland League going on to win their Round 6 game against Albury Netball Association, while Sale Netball Association was defeated by Wimmera Football-Netball League.

In Round 7, Sale Netball Association tied with Goulburn Valley League while the Gippsland League girls lost to Wimmera Football-Netball League by one goal.

Sale Netball Association lost to Ballarat Netball Association by one goal in Round 8, while Gippsland League beat Goulburn Valley League 18 to 7.

In Rounds 9, 10 and 11, Sale Netball Association and Gippsland League were unable to secure wins, ending their chances to make the finals.

The North Gippsland Football-Netball League Under 17 team Lily Corcoran, Lucy Best, Charlotte Grogan, Millie Riseley, Lily Kerrison-Male, Jayde Parsons, Millie Lamb and Zoe Stothers.

North Gippsland and Gippsland League Under 17 teams were successful in Round 1 of the Association Championships, with the NGFNL beating Albury Netball Association 11 to 9 and Gippsland League beating Sunraysia Football Netball League 16 to 10.

Both North Gippsland and Gippsland League won their games in Rounds 2 and 3 before facing off in Round 4, with Gippsland League beating NGFNL by one goal.

North Gippsland drew in Round 5, and the girls from Gippsland League beat St Albans/Caroline Springs Netball Association 16 to 10.

harlotte Grogan and Jayde Parsons representing North Gippsland Football-Netball League at the State Netball and Hockey Centre in Parkville. Photos: Contributed by Lisa Baker

Gippsland League drew in Round 6 while the Under 17 North Gippsland girls beat Outer East Football-Netball 12 to 8.

Both teams saw victory in Round 7, but NGFL fell short in Round 8, losing to Ovens & Murray Football-Netball League, while Gippsland League was victorious over Bendigo Football-Netball League.

North Gippsland had their final win of the Association Championships in Round 9 over Sunraysia Football-Netball League, falling short of making the finals.

Gippsland League won games in Rounds 9 and 10, but Ovens & Murray Football-Netball League beat the local Under 17s team in Round 11.

Gippsland League Under 17 Girls at Netball Victoria Association Championships. Left to right: coach Jo Ballinger, Isla McCarthy, Sienna Wynd, Hannah Abdalla, Mia Plenkovich, Charlie Berry, Asher Nightingale, Tilly Pendergast, coach Bern Dillon. Photo supplied.

The Gippsland League Under 17 Girls made Round 1 of the Netball Victoria Association Championships.

However, Hampden Football-Netball League was too good for the Gippsland League girls, winning Round 1 of the Association Championships Finals, 17 to 11 and putting end to Gippsland League’s Association Championships venture.

The 2022 Netball Victoria Association Championships were welcomed by many, with Victorian netball players, coaches and umpires grateful and eager for the opportunity to be recognised as one of the state’s best.