Tonny beats Moama in B-movie thriller

Tonny were not going to suffer their first defeat of 2024 on the biggest stage without a fight as the teams entered their first break point.

Moama’s defence looked solid in the second quarter, with the intensity of their play allowing the team to play a quick transition game.

Moama coach Carri Carter facilitated an attacking drive that gave the Magpies a two-goal lead at the break.

In the third quarter, Moama captain Eden Drennan went on a rampage and scored four goals in quick succession.

Drennan worked well with attacking goalkeeper Erin Moerenhout, displaying clever passing to break through Tonny’s defence.

Tongala refused to give up and kept pace with the Magpies in the third quarter, only to find themselves two goals down going into the final quarter.

When we talk about the DNA of a team that wins championships, we usually think of a side that uses it when it’s needed most.

Tongala did just that, coming out on top and snatching the lead from a weakened Magpies side who seemed to be using most of their energy in the third in an attempt to take the lead.

However, Moama regained his strength in the fight preparing him for the grand finale.

As time came to an end, the Pies players gave it their all to cross the finish line, but it simply wasn’t enough.

As time expired, the Blues played for possession and held on long enough to earn the Class B flag for 2024 and get revenge for 2023 with a 57-55 victory.

Tongala B-grade coach Paige Wade was pleased that her team finally managed to achieve success, pointing to the strength of the Tongala netball team as a contributing factor to the result.

“I feel relieved and very excited to have crossed the finish line,” she said.

“They’ve won their last four games in a row and we’ve lost our last few games against them, so I’m looking forward to crossing the finish line today.

“We used all 12 players and they played their part to help us achieve this goal.”

Tongala player Maya Kellett was named the best player on the pitch and coach Wade was pleased that despite the disappointments among the juniors, she was ultimately able to celebrate victory.

“This is her first grand final win. She had a lot of losses in the junior grades, so she was really excited to play a good game and finally win,” Wade said.

While Tonny will be delighted to have snapped Moama’s four-game B Championship winning streak, the Magpies will be looking for revenge in 2025.