Rumbalara's Lineup Shake-Up: A Tense Netball Face-off with Mulwala on the Horizon

Discover the overlooked gems of Murray League netball as we take Shep News to task for missing one of the most critical matches of the season. Get ready to explore the impacts of team roster changes and dive into a comprehensive game preview where Rumbalara faces off against Mulwala. With Rumbalara adjusting to their new lineup and Mulwala reeling from the loss of star defender Lily Sharp, we're set for a clash that could turn the tables in this unpredictable league. 

.From the powerful offense of Jesse Barnes and Sophie Atkinson to the anticipated fill-in for Emily's wing attack position, we cover the ins and outs of what makes a championship-worthy team. Tune in for a vibrant discussion that honors the game's spirit and the athletes who make every match a heart-pumping event.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:07

hey everybody, welcome back to another episode of shooting from the circle where we follow the rumballara football club netball clubs, a great netball side on their journey for 2024 and I'm your host, brett, and thank you for listening. And today we're going to do a preview of the mawaila rumballara game which is on this Saturday. But before we do that, I just want to turn around and say to the Shep News mate, you need to pull your fingers out. Last week was probably the biggest game in Murray League netball between the reigning premiers and Rumballara, who were both undefeated and not one ounce of nothing in the paper about it. It was all about other things, a JBL, whatever, um.

Speaker 1: 0:56

And then on Monday, after witnessing Rambalara's demolition of the reigning premiers Tongala now you've got two absolute guns in their shooting circles. You had Millie Brock in one end and you got Jesse Barnes in the other and not one. You didn't even mention anything. You had nothing about it. And then, after the demolition that Rumbelava served up to Tongala, tongala looked like a second-rate side and Rumbelava looked the goods. They were quality. On Monday there was a little bit on the bottom, a little bit on the bottom. Now I understand the GV League. That's the most important thing. But you had probably the biggest game that Murray League was ever going to have in netball this year and you missed the boat. It should have been covered in the paper, big, because, yeah, these two sides were powerhouse sides, are both undefeated. You know, don't forget that. Both undefeated, both got absolute quality in their shooting circles and nothing. You give them nothing. Um, a little bit down the bottom about how rumble are a runaway with a 29-goal win and now they're leading the shooting and now they're second in the defense. Other than that, nothing. I just think it's piss poor by the Shep News. Pull your fingers out Today.

Speaker 1: 2:16

In today's Shep News it's all about the Bendigo Strikers and how there's talent going to be playing in Bendigo on Sunday. They've played there before. They've played there before. Those girls play every week. You know it's all. Yeah, it was all about how about you start looking at, you know, doing previews of the murray league games, the kdl games, the piccolo league games in netball. Don't just turn around and concentrate on that bullshit, because you miss the boat with absolute cracker game that should have been covered. As I said, it was the biggest game in the Murray League calendar this year for netball and you missed the boat. You're just pathetic. Anyway, that is enough of that.

Speaker 1: 2:58

Today, as I said, we're going to do a preview of the Moela Rumballara game that's happening tomorrow. This is going to be a game of the unknowns for Rumballara. So they lost Emily, who's gone overseas. I don't think Madika's back, so she's still overseas. So their midcourt is going to be a little bit done by. If you can say that. It'll show how the depth of Rambla is, whether they bring girls up like they had Rehab, yes, last week an under-17 who absolutely blistered them, you know up against a premiership wing attack, and she did her job, she did her role. So maybe they play her again. I'm not too sure. So they're going to be a bit light on in their mid-court.

Speaker 1: 3:46

But in saying that Moela's unknown as well, not really many people I mean Lily Sharp. She's left Moela. She was a quality goal defence. I think she was fourth in the league, best and fairest, just in front of Tiana Steele. So she's gone. She's moved to Queensland. She's come down and played a couple of games for Finlay. So I think, yeah, she'll probably fill in for Finlay. So that's a great pickup for Finlay, but a really big loss to um Moela, because, yeah, they were really, really relying on her to um hold their net defensive end. So so it's going to be an unknown for Moela. And the one thing you know, the ladder at the moment doesn't really reflect um, you know, I think they're mid, they're midway in the ladder. Um, I think they're a couple of games down.

Speaker 1: 4:36

But, yeah, you got to understand that they actually played in the grand final last week. Uh, last year they played in the grand final against Tongala last year and they went through. We'll have a look with the way they went through in their finals campaign. So they played a Chukya United elimination final and they beat a Chukya United 52 to 36. They then came up against Moama the week later and beat Moama 47-33. Moama were a good side last year. They knocked Rambalara out in the elimination final. They then came up against the reigning premier last year, which was Denny Dinelequin, and they beat him by two goals to get into the grand final. Then, up against Tongala, they played in a grand final. Moala played in a grand final last year. They're sitting mid-pack this year. So obviously personnel has been an issue for them. But they played in the grand final last year and they got done by seven goals against Tongala. So that was 50-43. So Rambalara are playing the second of the grand finalists this week in Moela.

Speaker 1: 5:43

So, as I said, it's going to be an unknown, it's not going to be really. As I said, it's going to be an unknown, it's not going to be really. No one really knows what's going on. As I said, lily Sharp, she's gone. So I'm not sure whether Malwale have recruited well, whether they've put players in, or whether they're just developing their juniors, because I know a lot of the Murray League clubs now are doing that. There's a few that have got extra players in. So there's a few that have got extra players in.

Speaker 1: 6:04

But, as I said, with Rambalara it's going to be different. It's going to be a different side tomorrow. I'm not sure whether Madika's back or not. So you've sort of lost two out of that midcourt. But I really think my wilder Apollo will be stressing a bit because, as I said, lily Sharp, she was a quality goal defense for them and she's gone. It sort of leaves a hole in their defense. And you're coming up against Jessie Barnes, who's just on absolute fire. She's just absolutely cracking along. And then her partner in crime, sophie Atkinson, is just absolutely flying along too. The both of them you know to be able to put on the amount of goals that they put on every week against quality sides, like 74 last week against Tongala. That's just unbelievable, coming up against a premiership defense, and that's what they did to them. So I think Moela is going to really struggle in that defensive circle.

Speaker 1: 7:03

I'm not sure about their shooters, but I think last week Tiana Steele and Jess Bamblett really, really gelled. They really got together. They're up against Millie Brock and Grace Hammond and they sort of worked things out. They had a few intercepts. There's going to be times.

Speaker 1: 7:21

With a shooter, it doesn't matter how good you are as a defender, it doesn't matter how good you are as a defender. It doesn't matter how long you hold your defensive position. They're going to shoot the ball. That's what they are. They're shooters. They should be able to shoot the ball any part of the ring. It doesn't matter what part of the ring. They should be able to shoot it. I mean, that's what they're there for. So there's going to be times. Millie Brock she was probably on song halfway through that third quarter to the end of the game For them anyway. She sort of saved them face. Really, if she didn't shoot because she wasn't shooting well in the first quarter and a half, and if she continued in that trend, they probably would have lost by more.

Speaker 1: 7:59

So this week I'm not sure who their shooters are with Mo Whaler because, as I said, it's a totally different side. They are sitting mid-pack. They're not as strong as what they were last year, I don't think, and I know Rumballara beat them twice last year. So they are beatable and they were beatable. But sometimes it's the luck of the draw and the luck of coming into the elimination finals and that on who you play and where you play. Like I said, I think they played Achuki United in an elimination final.

Speaker 1: 8:37

I think Achuki United were very lucky last year to get in the finals. They won, I think, their last seven games, so they were on a roll, but they weren't. You just look, I think their last seven games, so they were on a roll, but like they weren't, yeah, you just look at the score 52 to 36. I mean 16 goals. So Moela were lucky. And then, yeah, they come up against Moema, who had a really hard game against Rumbelaro the week before, put them over the line and yeah, obviously they then put it on, it's just two goals. Two goals against any reigning premiers and then come up against tiny and only lose by seven. So they are a quality side.

Speaker 1: 9:10

Um, they know how to play the game, obviously, because they play, they are a grand finalist last year. So so this week, um, I think rumble are just needs to be on song. They need to play the game they played last week and it's obviously it's going to be hard because you've got Emily. That's gone. So who fills that void? Who fills that wing attack void?

Speaker 1: 9:34

I don't know sure whether Lani's back, whether she steps in on the show, whether Kai's back, but in saying that their defense be literally probably be shitting themselves, they will probably be shitting themselves because they have, you know they're coming up against. I will say now, the two best shooters in the league. Um, jesse barnes and sophie atkinson are the two best shooters in the league. Jesse barnes, on own, she's just a weapon. Sophie Atkinson compliments her so well in that circle. So I think a lot of defenders are going to be absolutely shitting themselves After seeing the score that they put up against Tongala last week.

Speaker 1: 10:16

I think there's going to be some defenders, there's going to be some sides out there that are very worried and I know there's a couple at the moment that are. They're very tentative, um, a bit worried about playing rumble r and I think that's the great thing is, you need to have that mongrel you need to have, you need to have that um, that that attitude that you know you're not gonna like people. Teams will turn around and they'll be up by 30 goals or 20 goals and they'll throw this one in and see how that goes, or they'll switch their side around. And Ron Ballaro did that last year, but this year, talking to Tiana, you know they really, really want to put the foot on the throat of other sides and have them scared, Like, have them worried and when I say scared I don't mean as in physically oh, they're a rough side have him scared to turn around and come up and go geez, you know we're up against the best midfield, we're up against the best defense, we're up against the best shit. As I said, um, at the moment rumble are leading the shooting. You know they've got the highest fours and they're second in highest against. So you get those two things right you get your defense on song and you get your shooting circle on song and you're very hard to beat. And then you've got a quality midfield in Sarah, emily Madika, if Kai comes back, lani Rahab, if she steps up, lavelle Tadjoura. They have got some quality mid-court. So I think a lot of sides are going to be very, very scared of how really Rambalara go about the rest of the year because at the moment they are just on song. They're flying.

Speaker 1: 12:04

As I said, they're up against another grand finalist in mawaila tomorrow. Yeah, a bit of unknown. They're not really sure what's going to go on, but I think you know, I think rumble are well, yeah, they're going to stamp their authority. I'm not sure how many games you need to qualify to play finals, but I mean I think they're six and zip at the moment. Um, I'm 100 sure they'll beat my wailer. They've got a boy which will absolutely do them great. Yeah, it'll do wonders. Um, after the last boy after round four, I think it was it did them wonders. So I'll have a boy. And then they come up against tongala I'm sorry, against cobram and cobram, you know they're winning on the bottom of the ladder, um. So, yeah, it is.

Speaker 1: 12:46

It's going to be a game of the unknowns tomorrow because um Rambalara missing a few mid courts. Um, malwala, they're missing. Uh, lily Sharp, um, who's a standout in defense for them? Um, young girl who was playing for Yarrawonga. So she, I said she's left to go to Queensland. So it's going to be an unknown.

Speaker 1: 13:08

It's going to be a game where Rumbelara will feel them out, or they might feel Rumbelara out for the first quarter and then see how we go. And I mean, I've always been told that it's very hard to go undefeated and every win is a win closer to a loss, the same as every loss is closest to a win. So Rambalara just need to be staying focused. They need to do what they've been doing for the last five games or six games they need to just concentrate on themselves, concentrate on their game plans, concentrate on their feeds into the circle, concentrate on themselves, concentrate on their game plans, concentrate on their feeds into the circle, concentrate on their defense.

Speaker 1: 13:48

Um, feel out the opposition and then go from there. And you know, as I said, you've got um, you've got firepower up there. And you know, as I said, there's going to be sides and they're going to be so, so scared of um coming up against jesse barnes and and sophie so farkinson. Um, they're not going to know what they've got to do. As I said, I know Nathalia's a little bit worried, I know Finlay's a little bit worried. Yeah, and that's what you want. You want to put the fear of God into the opposition. You want to be able to turn around and say you know what? Every court is our court. Every court you step onto, even not your home home ground, this is our court, we control it, we take it over and oh yeah, I don't want to say it, but you become our bitch.

Speaker 1: 14:36

Rumble, rumble are wants teams to become their bitches, because they just want to. They just want to destroy teams this year. They're hungry, they can sense something special coming along and you know they've had some injuries. They've had some players that have gone overseas. But the back end of the year and it's going to be exciting because Rumble are having played a home game, yet they have not played a home game, yet they have not played a home game.

Speaker 1: 15:04

So it's very hard to get those crowds there to opposition grounds. You know, like Moala, it's a fair distance. You know it's just over an hour to get there. You know Danny was an hour and a half. So a lot of the Rumballara fans and faithful, a lot of them, especially the elderly, and that they probably wouldn't be driving that far to go watch Rambalara play. Hence why I'll shit at the Shep News. You know, put this shit on there Honestly and I'll say it right now I think Rambalara so they'll beat any side in the GV. They had a practice match against Tatura and absolutely dominated. They absolutely dominated against Tatura in a practice match against Tatura and absolutely dominated. They absolutely dominated against Tatura in a practice match. At the moment, rambalara are just, yeah, they are way above everybody else and you know the Shep News won't put that on. You know they're not running those stories.

Speaker 1: 16:01

Anyway, getting back to the netball, so tomorrow at Moela 1.30, rumballara versus Moela, it's going to be the unknown the way Rumballara is going. It'll probably be another blowout, but who knows what Moela is going to bring? It should be a damn good game. The weather is going to be pretty good, which has been so lucky that the weather, yeah, we've been so spoiled. Um and yeah, and, as I said, the back end of the year, when rumballara start to get their players back, they start to um, have all their players and they're going to be playing at home. They are going to be formidable. They are going to be.

Speaker 1: 16:45

You are going to have crowds come there and when people get to know that rumble are on song and they are a force and yeah, they're fearsome, they, they want teams to fear them. They want teams to fear them, they want to be able to turn around and say, well, we play fair and just netball, but we want to be feared. We want to be feared to the point where teams are scared to come onto the court because they're just going to get smashed and then it's you know and it's not you know. It's probably not nice to say, but that's how rumble are at the moment. They are just that hungry that now they've gotten over one of the biggest hurdles in tongala last week. Now the crack and match that's going to happen is, yeah, they're going to play Moama again, but the last game of the season before of home and away, before finals and yeah, we shouldn't be talking finals because that's a long way away and things could happen but the last game is going to be against Tongala at home. Tongala are going to want redemption. Every side is chasing Rumballaro now. Rumballaro the hunted.

Speaker 1: 17:46

I've always said that it's so easy to it's easier to get to the top than what it is to stay at the top. Because when you're going and I used to say this to Tiana, who's my daughter I used to turn around and say to her. She used to say oh yeah, I'm this. But I used to say to her there's a point where you're going to start training harder because there's a young girl out there that wants to go in that side that you're playing on and she wants to be a goal defense and she is going to bust her ass to try and outdo you. Hence, there is going to be sides out there now and people are going to look at the scoring and everything else.

Speaker 1: 18:26

And there's going to be sides like Nathalia and that Rumbler haven't played before and I know Tracy Barrett as a quality coach and Blizz at Nathalia. They'll be looking at how they can stem that shooting circle dominance that Rumbelara have got. How are they going to choke it like Rumbelara did to Tony last week? They'll be working on things. There'll be sides. You hear about sides that will. Yeah, they've got a, a plan in place for a side they're going to play in three weeks time for, so they train for that. What happens between then if they win, that's a bonus. But they they turn around they say we're penciled in this game. We're penciled in.

Speaker 1: 19:05

I think there'll be a lot of sides out there that one, they'll be fearful of rumbleallara at the way they've been playing and everything else, but also they will be like trying, you know, to gauge something or work something out for Rumballara's demise. I mean I don't think Rumballara will go undefeated all year. I don't think they will. I think there'll be a side, maybe a Moama, that might beat them, but the way Rambalara's girls are at the moment, they don't want anyone to beat them. So it's going to be very hard for a lot of other sides to come up against them. And there will be sides that have got penciled in and they're training to try and knock off Rambalara, trying to work out what to do with Jesse Barnes. I mean there was parents and girls from Moama watching the Tongala game last week. They'll be on to it. There'll be teams that will be fearful but they'll be on to it and it'll be take the brave. It'll be like you know.

Speaker 1: 20:02

I think you know I've seen Yumerka about four games after they played Rambalara and Rambalara scored 72 goals on them and they played Nathalia and I really thought that Yumerka, they had improved immensely. So there's going to be improvements. But, as I said, rumballara at the moment they are the hunted. Tomorrow at Malwala, it'll be another interesting game. It's another game where it's the unknown. Rumballara don't know what my wailer's side's like. My wailer, well, they definitely know what rumballara's side's like because you know if they're keeping up with the scores on uh, netball connect and everything else, they'll definitely know what's happening with rumballara. So, um, it's going to be interesting, it's going to be fun times in the next probably month or so while rumballara works out their midcourt and see what their depth is in B grade or under 17s and bring girls up because they are going to be short. But if they can overcome that, the back end of the year is going to be absolutely sensational for Rumballara Football and Netball Club's A grade netball side, because they're going to be playing at home in front of people that can actually get to the games instead of this bullshit of traveling every week. Um, but anyway, that is me, brett. Thank you very much for listening. Um, shout out to jesse barnes and jared for listening. Um, that is me.

Speaker 1: 21:23

I will do the review of the game on sunday, um, and who knows what is going to happen tomorrow. I hope it's a clean game, I hope it's a good game, but I think Rumblara, the way they're going, I think it'll be oh look, it'll probably be another 30-goal win. I wasn't expecting that with Tony, but they're on a high. They've got their chins up, they've got their heads up. They're proud of what they're doing. They're proud of what they're doing. They're proud of the club. They're proud of the dress that they're playing for and they're playing for that dress and they're playing for each other. And that's something that I've noticed over the last three or four weeks that Rambalara now are playing for each other.

Speaker 1: 22:01

They have got leaders across the board. You've got Tiana in defence, you've got Emily and Sarah in the mid-court and you've got Jesse Barnes in that shooting circle all leaders and they talk to each other and I've noticed a couple of times that Sarah and Emily will talk as they're coming back. You know something might not have worked and they're talking. I know Tiana will walk up the court and she's instructing and directing traffic down and I know Jesse Barnes does the same. You've got leaders across the board with this netball club at the moment, this netball side, this A-grade netball side, and exciting times, exciting times for Rumballara. But anyway, that is me, brett. Thank you very much. Have a great night, have a great weekend and I'll do a review of the Moela versus Rumballara game on Sunday. I'm out.