RC Pythons – Where are they now?

by Malcolm · Published September 20, 2018 · Updated September 20, 2018

Four years on from the RC Pythons maiden premiership we take a look at the core roster.

Where are they now?

Twenty months ago, the greatest netball team in the history of the 3121 called it quits. The team name (the Richmond Central Pythons) has been retired to the hall of fame – never to be used again.

A lot has happened since that last match, the players have largely gone their separate ways with only three of the core 9 still actively pursuing netball careers post-Pythons, and of those three only two are still playing on the hallowed courts at Ryan’s Reserve, Burnley. This period has seen 4 engagements, an interstate and overseas move, a few houses purchased, one tattoo, and countless brunches and catch-ups in between. A solid group of girls that share a common bond, that at one point in their lives, they were really fuckin good at playing netball.

Elle Mena of Glen Waverley, has actually gone on to be successful in her own right – winning a number of subsequent flags down at Richmond. As the youngest member of the dynasty, Elle has adapted to life after the Pythons the best, as she continues to attend dinners at the Rising Sun post-match like its the first time she’s done it (inside sources suggest she still gets the Chicken Parma and a glass of the all day Rosé) . Recent rumours suggest Elle Mena is still hitting various dating channels hard. Whilst the Pythons found her fame and fortune, it didn’t found her love. Elle is now forging a successful career in teaching, working hard every day with her 40 percent mixed Asian 60 percent white, wealthy Australian class demographic, a real challenge.

Larritt, The Pythons’ captain has been busy since the team folded, as she approaches her 2753rd game in Richmond. She looks back on a storied career with happiness and a bit of regret. Regret that she didn’t find the Pythons sooner – and win more than 6 straight flags. Regret that her Pythons tattoo wasn’t the full back piece she wanted – including premiership years and goal shooting stats. Jess too, remains single – on the elusive hunt for a bloke that will put up with her overzealous passion for a team long-since forgotten by but those who were there. In other big news since finishing with the Pythons, Jess has launched full scale war with Melbourne Netball, and now catches public transport. Both of which no one saw coming.

Alanna Dunne – widely considered the most naturally gifted of the Pythons (she comes from good stock after-all), has gone on to be highly successful in her business career. It is said that both mutli-national wine corporations and large Australian banks have benefited from her fame with the Pythons as she continues to make waves in the digital marketing space. One need not be reminded that Alanna was cut down at the peak of her powers by an ACL injury, and can only imagine what she may have become. Dunne is, and will always be considered one of the greats of Richmond netball. I think back on some of her brilliant performances and quite literally tear up. Fittingly, she has been locked in by a Greek bloke with a couple of nice houses in Balwyn. Predictions have her living a long and happy life with athletically blessed offspring.

Laura Hindson went down with a seemingly innocuous knee injury back in the autumn of 2016, it would end her career as a top class athlete. There is some debate whether she has ever regained full feeling in the left leg, but what there is no debate on however is the end of her netball career coincided nicely with the exponential boom in her personal life – picking up a mansion down the coast in the south east, being locked in by a legend of a New Zealand bloke, and being the queen of fermented live culture fizzy drinks. Genuinely one of the good guys off the field, and one of the toughest nuggets on it – Laura is well setup to push on like a trojan into the next phase of life – whatever double trouble it may bring…

Fed Kaso has made several big moves since finishing up with the Pythons, including a handful of guest appearances for random snake teams – somewhere between twice and three times shitter than the Pythons. Never really having found the same passion she had toward the Pythons, she’s thrown herself head long into being madly in love with the Collingwood Magpies, Mick Malthouse, and the accounting profession. Fed was married to Sam before she even knew the Pythons existed – a great play it turned out to be, as she soon discovered that Larritt and Langerak go large when the bar tab is on someone else. Fed Kaso remains a Brian Lake like enigma in the Pythons dynasty. Unbelievable some days – not so good the next (we all remember the 0 from 8 shooting performance). But I will tell you one thing – we wouldn’t have won 6 flags without her. That passion and grit from growing up on the mean streets of Shepparton really meant something to Fed, and whatever she chooses to do in the future (even if it’s go on Australian Survivor) she will certainly dominate. In my view she stands alone on the schoolyard pick for any defensive position if you’re looking for big body contact followed by a standover.

Maria Crawford always had it tough. The coach’s girlfriend and later wife – she never got the praise she deserved in print because it would seem like favouritism. Maria is the second highest polling Python all time for best on ground, as voted by the team. She sits third on the all-time appearances list (behind Larritt and Mena) and played what is arguably the physically most taxing position on the field. Coupled with that is my view that she probably cared the most about it. After each match she would go home and it break it down play-by-play with the coach, discussing what she could do better personally, and sometimes even take her self out for punishment 10km run if she hadn’t performed well enough on the night. Probably the only unanswered debate that is still open for discussion is who reached greater heights on the netball court – Rhian Crawford for the Hatfield Hawks in Hertfordshire, England, or Maria Crawford for the Richmond Central Pythons in Melbourne, Australia. The jury is out on that one. Both have been inspirational for their franchises. Maria has gone on to be an exceptional wish granter, got a spot in the northern suburbs, and the husband with the jawline she always wanted. The Pythons will be but a large bold italic footnote in Maria’s story when it’s all said and done.

Langerak was the third bash brother to go down with an ACL injury and hers has sadly been a career ender. She has not once stepped back on a netball court since coach Baron forced her back on court to play out the final 6 minutes of the match on that fateful night. Langerak has however rehabbed well. Strava suggests she is returning to peak fitness over the short jog from her coffee shop to her home office and a few bike rides around the North Shore. She’s that wealthy, shes picked up a Garmin to track the short 800 metre jog. Without relenting on her quest for love, a few trips across to Bali proved successful in finding a balding 30 year old from Taranaki who, much to the sadness of the team, subsequently influenced her biggest play so far, selling up the St Kilda dream to move back to Auckland for love. By all accounts an excellent decision for her and she seems as happy as ever (Hi Mrs Langerak – Shes a big fan of my blogs). Anecdotal evidence suggests that Amanda’s swearing habit has not subsided one bit, being around more than normal rangi New Zealanders has indeed reconfirmed her requirement to say ‘fuck man’ at least once every couple of sentences. Mike still hasn’t locked her in yet, but let’s be honest she’s not crazy. She’s a gifted athlete (see: the best shooter in Richmond netball history), and according to her business card, is the Chief Operating Officer of a successful medical writing firm. Lock her in and let me know if you need the Python’s address details bro.

Jenny Ingram is now a fully indoctrinated Melbourne supporter. Recent rumours have her own father letting her know it’s the Dees or him. Since finishing with the Pythons, Jen has thrown herself even more head long into the legal profession having long since reached platinum with Fraser Suites in Sydney. reports put Jen at home in Collingwood only two nights a week, . Jen and James hosted the wedding of the year down on the Bellarine Peninsula earlier this year, the photos from which remain Pythons captain Jess Larritt’s iPhone background image, and most-liked on Alanna’s Instagram for the year.

A couple of times since the Pythons have finished up, Jen has attempted to relive the glory days at Ryan’s Reserve – taking an Uber from the CBD to Richmond, arriving 5 minutes into the first quarter, getting the rig out to get changed courtside, and has also been seen to be accompanied by a hobo with a brown bag with a Coopers tallboy in it, with a black Staffy in tow. The slight set-back of a broken leg from that renowned dangerous section of Flagstaff station hasn’t stopped her from her early morning 5km jogs, however as they say, ‘If it’s not on Strava, did it even happen?’. Still a rough and tumble operator, the girl from Bowral is in the vote count for Country Netballer of the decade in the wider Richmond Central context.

The Wangaratta hurricane, Amanda Parker has recently announced her engagement to long-time beau Aram Bedrossian after a beautifully romantic engagement in North America. The pair announced their engagement on Instagram with Parker’s caption reading “He really doesnt know me at all, so he locked me in with a burger ring!!” Parker and Bedrossian own a quaint Middle Park apartment that has featured on “Home and Garden Magazine” in the “What Not to Buy from Ikea” section, with Bedrossian preferring to focus on getting a family home whereas Parks wanting to travel overseas for 6 weeks every year. It is hoped that the engagement will settle her down and there are concerns amongst the group that it may even lead them back to Tarawingi to enjoy the ‘quiet life’. Parker is idolised back home in the country, young girls looking up to her as a 6 time premiership player, a one-time Sandy Robertson medalist, and generally just having a large ticker, smart shooting sleeve, mean face on RCAFNC Marketing Collateral, and most of all, an unbelievable ability to read the game of netball. Alongside shooting side-kick Langerak, they remain without peer the greatest shooting combo that Richmond has ever seen.