By Christopher Kourtis.
Divisions 1-4 have one more week of the regular season left, whereas the finals begin for Divisions 5-9 in this Bendigo Bank Netball season. The ladders have truly taken shape now, so take a look at how each team played in Round 16.
Division One
East Burwood Rams (47) lost to East Ringwood Black (59)
Coldstream Grey (34) lost to East Burwood Black (64)
FTG Eagles Blue (37) lost to Croydon (64)
Lilydale Falcons (52) def. Vermont Eagles Gold (48)
There’s just one week to play before finals and still everything is up for grabs.
Croydon maintained their top stop with a routine win over FTG Eagles Blue. Tayla Burrell stepped up in the absence of Emma Hayes with 28 points.
East Ringwood Black and East Burwood Black are still within reach of first place. East Ringwood Black beat the East Burwood Rams, despite Rylee Hamilton’s 37 points against the league’s best defence. East Burwood Black also picked up a win, beating Coldstream Grey. Ella Tweedale scored 44 points, outscoring the whole Coldstream team. Both teams are now just 4 points below Croydon, but both have a better percentage.
Elsewhere, Lilydale picked up just their third win of the season, beating fourth place Vermont Eagles Gold.
Division Two
Croydon North MLOC (40) def. Blackburn Black (28)
Knox Falcons (52) def. Vermont Eagles Yellow (21)
Bayswater Gold (28) lost to Oakleigh District White (39)
Kilsyth Cougars (21) lost to East Ringwood Blue (34)
Heathmont Jets (18) lost to Coldstream Black (54)
It was a fairly straightforward weekend of netball in Division Two.
Coldstream Black kept a firm grasp on first place, beating the Heathmont Jets by 36 points to stay two points clear at the top. Jessica Ford put in a massive performance, scoring 47 points.
Top spot is not secured yet, as Oakleigh District White are still within touching distance after beating Bayswater Gold.
Croydon North MLOC and Knox Falcons both picked up wins, meaning the gap between the two in fifth and fourth remains at 2 points.
Division Three
Chirnside Park Panthers Yellow (17) lost to The Basin Cubs (47)
Vermont Eagles Violet (28) lost to Vermont Eagles White (35)
Heathmont Yellow (25) lost to East Burwood Grey (29)
Boronia Gold (38) def. Montrose Demons (28)
Nunawading Lions Gold (29) lost to Heathmont White (33)
Lilydale Gold (52) def. The Basin Kodiaks (23)
There was minimal movement on the ladder in Division Three, as most games went as expected.
Vermont Eagles White won the Vermont Eagles derby, trumping Vermont Eagles Violet by 7 points.
Another Heathmont White win means that, no matter what happens next round, they will go into finals in first place.
Meanwhile, East Burwood Grey beat Heathmont Yellow, overtaking them and claiming seventh place.
Division Four
Silvan Cats (20) lost to Kilsyth Cougars Red (27)
Oakleigh District Black (50) def. UFTG Red (31)
Vermont Eagles Purple (48) def. FTG Eagles White (20)
Montrose Flames (33) drew with Kilsyth Cougars Black (33)
Park Orchards Black (46) def. East Ringwood Teal (16)
There are many finals spots still up for grabs after Division Four’s penultimate round.
Despite having played one less game, Oakleigh District Black are just one win off Vermont Eagles Purple, who currently sit at the top.
In a massive game where third took on fourth, the Montrose Flames drew with Kilsyth Cougars Black. Montrose therefore keep their two point gap over their opponents in third.
Division Five
East Burwood Silver (13) lost to Silvan Cats Blue (46)
Balwyn Tigers (39) def. South Croydon Blue (29)
Park Orchards Red (33) def. Coldstream White (31)
Boronia Hawks (31) def. Whitehorse Pioneers (24)
Chirnside Park Panthers Grey (18) lost to Vermont Eagles Lilac (26)
The scene is set in Division Five as finals begin next week.
Silvan Cats Blue finished the season in first after beating an East Burwood Silver side that went winless.
The Top 4 is locked in with Silvan Cats Blue, Vermont Eagles Lilac, Balwyn Tigers and Park Orchards Red all pleading a strong case for their post-season success.
Division Six
Chirnside Park Panthers (34) lost to UFTG Blue (39)
Bayswater Black (32) def. Waverley Blues White (27)
Vermont Eagles Black (22) def. Knox Black (21)
GWH Yellow (46) def. Ringwood White (28)
Lilydale Blue (34) lost to East Ringwood White (40)
Whilst GHW Yellow and the Chirnside Park Panthers had locked up the Top 2 weeks ago, Division Six still provided a photo finish.
East Ringwood White beat Vermont Eagles Black in the race to third place, with the only separator being each teams’ percentage.
Division Seven
Montrose Thunder (28) def. Ringwood Black (2)
Coldstream Blue (24) lost to Waverley Blues Red (28)
FTG Eagles Yellow (29) def. Heathmont Blue (24)
Norwood Purple (31) def. Montrose Devils (27)
Oakleigh District Grey (31) def. Kilsyth Cougars White (24)
Montrose Thunder managed to hold Ringwood Black to just two points in their match, but still failed to surmount enough team percentage to overtake Waverley Blues Red in first place, as both teams finished with a 15-1 record in Division Seven.
Division Eight
The Basin Grizzlies (24) drew with Waverley Blues Blue (24)
Ringwood Red (28) def. Croydon North MLOC Blue (24)
Montrose Storm (31) def. South Belgrave Saints (22)
Nunawading Lions Black (23) lost to Norwood Black (40)
In Division Eight, The Basin Grizzlies’ draw was enough to secure them the top spot. Directly beneath them, the Montrose Storm beat the South Belgrave Saints, overtaking them and claiming second place.
Division Nine
Montrose Heat (29) def. East Burwood White (20)
Norwood Gold (22) def. Chirnside Park Panthers Black (16)
Montrose Raptors (29) lost to Bayswater Green (32)
Coldstream Green (22) lost to Nunawading Lions Maroon (32)
There was no movement at the top end of the Division Nine ladder, as the finals participants were confirmed weeks ago.