South West Netball Football League: Collie cap off first season in league competition with premiership win

Collie’s first season in the league competition of the South West Netball Football League has ended in premiership glory, running out 15-goal winners over Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault in the grand final at Eaton Recreation Centre on Saturday night. The Eagles, who claimed the minor premiership after winning 14 of their 16 games through the home and away season, ended the fairytale run of the Lions, who came from fourth place to grab the other spot in the season decider by wining the elimination and preliminary finals, with a 60-45 victory. Collie’s Jessica Repacholi, a local product who also stars for the Fremantle Sharks in the West Australian Netball League and the West Coast Fever’s reserves side, was recognised as the game’s most valuable player. Spurred on by a vocal contingent of supporters, the underdogs proved they were not overmatched against the favourites early, scoring the game’s first goal and leading by as much as eight goals in the first term to hold a six-goal lead at the first break. But the Eagles’ quality began to show in the second term, knotting up the scores before nudging ahead to lead at the main break. The Lions never gave up but were not able to close the gap in the second half, with Collie gradually extending their lead throughout the third and fourth terms. In the other grand finals, Bunbury defeated Donnybrook Blackwood in the reserves, Eaton edged out Collie in the masters, Collie defeated Donnybrook Blackwood in the under-18s and Dunsborough defeated Bunbury in the under-16s.