It’s 8.34pm Thursday, and I basically ran home after the game in order to try and get this online before Elle gets back home from her mission drive to Glen Waverley. Amanda Parker’s still off gallivanting in Europe, hash tagging the shit out of Instagram posts and we’re expecting Aram to drop on one knee any day now. In the meantime, back in the rainy 3121, it was left to the rest of the girls to get the job done against the Players in the Richmond Central PREMIER Grade netball comp.

Jen was fresh off a flight from Sydney, Langerak and Maria had spent the previous hour in their beds, and Laura arrived at the game with about 6 bags, although she insists she only came from work… one suspects she might be on her way to a sleepover somewhere tonight.

The first quarter saw the rain start to fall and Coach Baron was really starting to worry that we might be held to our first scoreless quarter in 5 years. This week, Laura was promoted to a well-earned starting position in Goal Shooter and despite the radar being off in the first quarter, she showed great ticker, pulling down 5 rebounds.

Larritt started strongly, breaking her own personal best with 2 clean intercepts. Pythons love the wet, and despite the lack of scoreboard pressure, the girls were the dominant team with great handling and ball control.

The second quarter, (historically the Pythons weakest) proved to be decisive as Maria dominated the mid court with some pin point passing off the centre pass. Jen got over her jetlag from her 1 hour flight and started so show some of that country netball she is capable of, pulling off a few intercepts and clean ball winning she has become famous for, despite a few drops. Langerak also got her eye in, dropping 100% of her shots taken for the quarter.

Championship quarter next, and the Pythons girls continued to pile pressure on the Players going forward and managed to extend the lead out to 15-3. Laura dropped a huge bomb from about 4 metres out, Coach Baron confident she had found her rhythm!

Elle’s third quarter without an opponent continued with exceptional work around the attacking circle edge and well weighted loft passes landing in Laura and Amanda’s hands.

Life can’t be easy when you’re the best defender in the league because to get the coach to write about you takes an extra special performance. Big Ticker, big work rate. Full credit to Alanna and Jess for their defence today, to hold any team to 3 goals the whole game and 0 in 2 quarters is a big effort. That 1 2 punch of Alanna and Jess is the most deadly combo in the league and will hold us in good stead in our run into the finals.

Final score: 25-3

What we learnt:

• Laura doesn’t like warming up before the game, she eases into it in the first quarter
• Laura can make a yellow scarf work with any outfit
• Elle wears the same shoes as Nat Medhurst
• Alanna loves Greek food (and Men)
• Jen does what she wants when she wants (like fly home early from Sydney to play social netball)
• Jess is considering getting a Python’s tattoo if we get the 4peat.
• Pythons are wet weather snakes.
• Maria loves rolling her eyes at the ump
• Laura is the first player in RC Netball history to shoot 0/6 in the first quarter and still win the BoG Nando’s voucher
• Pythons confuse teams so much their defenders take shots at their own goal.

And Finally!! Laura Looking Chic 3 minutes after the game ended.