Rovers progress in finals

The reserves and every single on the club’s netball teams finished high enough on the home and away season ladder to head straight into qualifiers, being held this weekend.

The seniors were matched up with the Jerilderie Demons on Saturday.

The sun was out with a breeze across the ground away from the Strathmerton clubrooms, with some small rain clouds forming that were set to affect the game intermittently.

In the win-or-go-home contest, both teams started fiercely with their endeavour.

The Rovers held up defensively in the first five minutes, not conceding any points despite a few Jerilderie forward 50 entries as both teams were feeling each other out.

Eventually, a successful transition saw the Rovers get onto the scoreboard first.

The Deni team’s structure, keeping it in their forward line to score goals, set the tone for the match.

The Rovers also kicked straight to have four goals and one behind for the quarter.

Jerilderie got a goal midway through the quarter with their lead-up play, and a goal after the first-quarter siren to reduce the margin to 13 points.

The second quarter was the Rovers’ best defensively, only conceding two behinds.

The Rovers turned their possession into goals, kicking another four goals and two behinds in the second quarter.

Heading into half-time, Jerilderie coach Lachlan Taylor-Nugent was sent off for 15 minutes for undisciplined contact after the umpire’s whistle had blown.

The Rovers had momentum, winning by 37 points at the main break.

With Jerilderie down a player, the Deni side had a good start to the second half, kicking two goals.

However, a long way back, Jerilderie started to get back into the game, with the Rovers giving away some easy shots on goal.

The Demons kicked four goals and one behind, transitioning well from their defensive end due to the Rovers’ four behinds for the quarter.

Jerilderie won the quarter by nine points to reduce the margin to 28.

In the last quarter, the Demons emerged and sensed a possible comeback.

The Dees kicked the first two goals of the quarter, reducing the margin to 16 points.

From there, as both teams gave it all to win, the Rovers kicked away, doing enough to cement a winning lead.

Jerilderie kicked two more goals late, but it was not enough as the Rovers seniors sealed an elimination finals win.

Leading the Rovers’ transition, ball use and physicality at the contest all match were Rivva Karpany and Alex Hay.

Kicking goals on the scoreboard were Tyson Willis and Hayden Barker with four goals each, including several timely goals, especially Willis’ last-quarter majors.

Logan Ives also kicked both his goals in the final quarter, including another mammoth set-shot goal when the Demons were closing, and also a front-and-centre important finish getting around a defender.

Taking on the finals challenge with poise was Waylon Johncock, keeping his feet on multiple occasions to get the Rovers forward, also kicking a goal himself.

Ryan Lovegrove-Hudson again imposed himself on the game, kicking two goals, and Isaac Behsman and Cam Wills got one important goal each.

Arguably with some of the most important plays of the game were Brendan Hope and Liam East, who on the last lines of defence stopped Jerilderie on several of their attacks.

Final score: Deniliquin Rovers 15.9 (99) def Jerilderie 10.7 (67).

The Rovers seniors progress to the semi-finals on Saturday, August 30 at Jerilderie.

They will play the loser of this Saturday’s first qualifying final between Waaia and Berrigan, at Katandra.

Goal kickers: Hayden Barker 4, Tyson Willis 4, Logan Ives 2, Ryan Lovegrove-Hudson 2, Waylon Johncock, Isaac Behsman, Cameron Wills.

Best players: Rivva Karpany, Alex Hay, Waylon Johncock, Brendan Hope, Tyson Willis, Liam East.