Rochester v Tatura
Tatura has the competition’s best defensive unit, having allowed only two teams (Seymour
and Shepparton Bears) to score more than 40 goals in a single game this year. Conversely, Rochester has struggled to score and managed only 37 goals in its six-goal win against Benalla on the weekend.
Fortunately, the Tigerettes have Bridgette McCarty and Madeline Holt in the last line, and
they have been instrumental in the team’s 3-win, 3-loss season so far.
Along with mid-court star Charlee Roulston, they were the reason Rochester recovered from a one-goal deficit at half-time to outscore Benalla 15–5 in the third quarter.
Tatura struggled with Seymour’s ability to rotate its stars at either end of the court, and was unable to hold onto a six- goal, three-quarter-time lead, to win the game – which was evenutally tied on 43 goals apiece.
Julia Clarke had given Tatura the lead in the final minute before a Seymour goal tied the game. Clarke was a star, partnering with goal keeper Jamie Fraser to help Tatura secure a share of the points and hold on to third place.
My prediction: Tatura to win by 17 goals.
Shepparton v Seymour
Unbeaten Shepparton and a Seymour team that has lost only to reigning premier Euroa present a number of juicy matchups—none more so than Seymour coach Casey Adamson coming up against a Bears mid-court led by vice-captain Eliza Bicknell and Molly Kennedy.
Adamson was named the winner of the Sarah’s Day award (a nod to the late Sarah Locke, a significant contributor to Seymour netball), while Bicknell rotated through wing and centre positions in the weekend’s draw with Tatura alongside Erin Scott and Caitlyn Tuohey.
The Bears play a high-energy game, supported for all four quarters by strong pillars in defence and attack and a constantly rotating mid-court.
Ruby Martin is likely to line up against Kim Borger, although Toni Bootland may also match up on Borger or Ruby Higgins at different stages of the game.
My prediction: Seymour to win by 3 goals.
Kyabram v Mooroopna
With just one win and sitting in 11th spot, Kyabram (on paper at least) doesn’t present a major threat to the in-form Mooroopna squad. The Cats are coming off a 29-goal win against a strong United defence, having previously lost by just two goals to Euroa and recorded three impressive wins to start the year.
Kyabram won the second and last quarters of its game against Echuca. Jemma Hall and Monique Williams held the Echuca goalers to just four goals in the final term, as Tam Skinner and Tash Dodos rounded off a solid afternoon with 10 goals between them.
Young star Ava Pell helped Isla Carver in the mid-court, and they will face off against a similarly youthful Rhani Hendy this weekend.
Mooroopna’s three goalers from their Round 5 win all scored 20+ goals, with Ash Lancaster transitioning from defence to offence with immediate impact.
My prediction: Mooroopna to win by 22 goals.
Shepp Swans v Shepp United
Fifty-two goals in a loss to the reigning premier is enough to suggest the Swans are building some serious form—following a two-goal loss to Tatura and a 30-goal win against Rochester.
In Natasha Atkinson-Brown’s absence, Sienna Burke and Chelsea McDonald (27 goals) combined at times with Jaylah Meda to trail by just three goals at quarter-time. They used 10 squad members, with Ella Cirillo, Gabby Moore and Klarindah Hudson defending against the powerful Euroa duo of Olivia Morris and Mia Sudomirski.
After three strong defensive games, United has now conceded 60 goals in two straight matches, including a 29-goal loss to Mooroopna.
Both the Swans and United sit one game outside the top six with two wins each and will be desperate for a win heading into the pre-bye weekend (May 24).
Two teams above them—Echuca (vs Mansfield) and Mooroopna (vs Kyabram)—are favoured to win, but Rochester faces the third-ranked Tatura.
My prediction: Swans to win by 2 goals.
Mansfield v Echuca
Echuca will be aiming to charge toward the top three, having already faced the Bears, Euroa and Tatura in the opening month. They sit sixth on the ladder and face only one other top-six team (Mooroopna on June 7) in the next five rounds.
In her 300th game, Ash Hare was best on court, partnering with Lillie Taylor to keep Kyabram to 38 goals and secure a six-goal win. Hare played 245 games for Kyabram, was a six-time premiership player, has three Wellman Family League Medals, a seventh A Grade premiership (2024), and is a GVL Hall of Famer—an extraordinary effort for the mother of three.
Mansfield had its moments against the Bears, trailing by just three at quarter-time and matching the unbeaten side in the final term (both teams scored 10 goals). Kim Borger was held to 29 goals—her lowest of the season—due to the efforts of Tilly Lang, Emily Hutchins and Amelia Charlton.
My prediction: Echuca to win by 13 goals.
Euroa v Benalla
“By how much?” is usually the question when top plays bottom, but Benalla has shown recent signs of improvement and hope for 2025. They won two of the four quarters against Rochester last weekend in a low-scoring match, where Chloe Elliott and Chloe Hill defended well with support from Gemma Mathieson and Jacqueline Foster.
They were outscored by 10 in the third quarter, which proved the difference.
Euroa didn’t have everything go its way in a sixth straight win, but Olivia Morris extended her season tally to 314 goals with another 54 in the 70–52 victory over the Swans.
This weekend, Morris teams up again with Mia Sudomirski, who will play her 50th game for the club. Regular B Grade interchange player Grace Warnock also celebrates her 150th game.
Euroa has scored 60+ goals in all but one game this season and won the second half last week by 10, thanks to defence from Ellie Warnock, Kellie Davidson and Sophie Owen.
My prediction: Euroa to win by 38 goals.
