Pythons win 4th straight premiership
Thursday Night Lights this week saw the minor premier RC Vipers face off against the reigning champion RC Pythons. The Vipers would go into the match as heavy favourites after preventing the Pythons from earning a win from either of their two regular season clashes
I managed to catch up with Jess Larritt, Pythons captain and spiritual leader, she echoed the thoughts of the great All Blacks coach Graham Henry,
“it doesn’t matter if we have lost to them twice this season, what matters is 40 minutes on Thursday night.”
Larritt had a quiet confidence to her, almost like she knew something I didn’t. That Pythons swagger.
Melbourne Netball decided to try something new this year, moving the Premier Grade to the later 7.40 time slot, and playing the B grade final first. Congratulations to this year’s B Grade winners the Cougars. What this meant was that by 7.40 the crowd at the Ryan’s Reserve International Netball Stadium had swelled to over 70 people, with notable Richmond royalty in attendance including Snakes Netball stalwart Lorraine Cave and Leanne Read Fletcher.
Around midday on the Thursday, word came through from Pythons WA Laura Hindson that she wasn’t in a state to be playing, having been to the doctors for multiple injections. Rumour has it she may have failed the anti-doping tests pre game so was a late withdrawal. Commeth the hour commeth the Wo-man, up stepped Fed Kaso, plucked from obscurity (or in this case, plucked from studying to be a Chartered Accountant). She would start from the bench but come on to have immediate impact in the second term.
One of the keys to the game was always going to be the matchup with RC Vipers tall Sarah Short and Pythons 2015 Best and Fairest Amanda Langerak. From the get go the battle was evenly matched with the two exchanging small wins on the way to a 3-3 score at the end of the first quarter. Parker and Elle also came out tough in the first quarter playing some country netball in the absence of Jen who was being closely watched by officials after an overzealous game last week. Elle was so enthusiastic for the game she gave away an undefended shot on goal, something she would later challenge but have over ruled by the tribunal.
Pythons brought on Fed Kaso in place of Elle in the second, bringing a different skillset to the teamwith exceptional handles allowing the Pythons to play some Harlem Globetrotters netball as they dance their way down court. Parker dropped two crucial buckets late in second quarter and Jess Larritt and Alanna Dunne came up with some big defensive stops, leaving the game all square going into half time.
They call the 3rd term the championship quarter and both teams knew it; fighting hard for every ball. The game was there to be won and lost, Maria had been steady in the first half but now found her rhythm, winning the battle in the mid court, stringing together come magic passes with Elle and Fed, as the previous Sunday captain’s run starting paying off. Exposing holes in the mid court and going forward with ease, Amanda Parker found her groove and dropped 100% shooting for the quarter. Although her shooting was a little off on the night, Langerak started to dominate the match up against Shorty, nullifying the Vipers key tall in the 3rd, allowing the Pythons to go into the final break up by 2 goals.
The fourth and final quarter, the game was still anyone’s to win, but after star Vipers shooter Jess went down with a scream of pain clutching at the right knee late in the third quarter the game was all but over. Fans gasped, they could tell Lucy was done for the game. After a short break, the game would resume, but without one on the bench the vipers were forced to play the final stanza with 6 and without one of their key goal scorers. The Pythons would finish the fourth with a score of 5 goals to 2, and run out winners 17-12 securing a 4th straight A Grade Premiership.
Joining the team at the Chingon for post-match celebrations, the girls were somewhat subdued, knowing they had won but in unfortunate circumstances. Coach Baron would remind them, in true to form fashion, that “Netball is a contact sport and injuries do happen”.
Final Score: 17-12
Player judged best aground in the Grand Final 2015 – Amanda Langerak
What we learnt:
- This was the Pythons hardest premiership by a mile. The standard in Richmond has lifted and to win 5 straight will be very difficult. We look forward to the challenge.
- A team is never better than the sum of its parts, each player played a role in securing #4.
- The Vipers are a very good netball team, we love playing them and hope the rivalry continues.
- Larritt is 3 premierships from delivering on her RC Snakes tattoo promise.
- Our shooters will soon be living just 300 metres from each other and share a love of YoChi , so expect an even more cohesive ruthless combo in the summer season after some player bonding over a cup of froyo.
- The North London Steamer covered 5km during the final, as accurately predicted by Coach Baron.
- Fed Kaso remains our best option for the fill-ins bench. We look forward to her fighting for her spot in autumn 2016.
