General News
22 September, 2021
Matilda shares league best and fairest
MATILDA Darcy’s first Hampden league netball best and fairest is one she is not going to let her siblings live down.
MATILDA Darcy’s first Hampden league netball best and fairest is one she is not going to let her siblings live down.
The 14 year-old became the pride of her household on Saturday, when she jointly won the 15 and under best and fairest with Terang Mortlake’s Alice Suhan.
The pair finished on 20 votes apiece in a fitting finish to the count.
The pair are close friends through their schooling at Mercy Regional College and were equally as delighted they had tied.
“It was a big surprise. I think I had a pretty good season,” Matilda said.
“Being bottom age I didn’t really expect much and to come a draw with Alice, who is really good, is a good feeling.
“We played on each other when she was in goal attack and I was on goal defence. It was a really good tussle.
“I haven’t played that good in a really long time and because we’re really close friends, she really pushed me to play a lot better and toughen up.”
In her acceptance speech, Matilda jokingly said to her brothers “that is how it’s done” in reference to her victory, but even she could hardly believe she won a league award.
She credited a focus on beating her opposition for performances, with a fierce desire to play well week-in, week-out ultimately rewarded.
“Who I was playing on gave me a good drive to (play well),” Matilda said.
“Some teams, because there are rivalries, that really pushed me to play better and to play against harder opposition.”
Matilda thanked her coaches Amy Hammond and Nadine McNamara for their support this season, with the pair imparting plenty of knowledge on their younger charges.
“We had some senior players as our coaches and to get their advice and their help was really good,” she said.
Other Cobden juniors to poll strongly in the league’s vote counts was under 14 footballer Archie Taylor.
Archie finished equal second on 20 votes in count with South Warrnambool’s Sam Rhodes, with the pair one vote behind Koroit’s Talor Byrne (21).
Tayla Hickey and Eloise Chivell finished second and third in the 17 and under reserves netball count, while Holly Duynhoven tied for third in the 17 and under award.