Katunga claimed the C-grade premiership after defeating Deniliquin Rovers.
Photo by
Liam Nash
Katunga’s C-grade side has stamped itself as one of Picola District Netball League’s most reliable September forces, toppling Deniliquin Rovers 52-33 at Deniliquin Memorial Park to claim a second straight premiership on Saturday.
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With a line-up dripping in experience — not least the evergreen Rachael Howden, who earlier this season chalked up her 550th appearance for the Swans — Katunga simply had too much composure and firepower for the Rovers.
In scorching conditions more familiar to February than early spring, the Swans’ blend of mature heads and rising talent never looked seriously threatened after a blistering start.
Katunga playing co-coach Kate Towe was over the moon with a four quarter performance that netted the Swans back-to-back flags.
“Oh look, the whole team, anyone who stepped on the court really put in 100 per cent,” she said.
“Full credit to Deni, they definitely brought it today; they definitely deserved to be there and it was a great game so I’m very happy.”
Early on, Howden set the tempo through the centre, intercepting and linking seamlessly with wing attack Stacey Weeks.
Inside the circle Jess Legge was clunking everything and shooting with confidence, while at the other end Katunga’s defenders pinched rebounds and pick-offs at will.
By quarter-time the Swans were already strutting, the scoreboard read 11-6 in the red and white’s favour.
From there Katunga kept its foot down.
Precise ball movement, clever rotations to deal with the heat and a relentless defensive wall pushed the margin out to 22-15 at half-time.
The third term felt like a procession as Weeks ran riot at wing attack, feeding Legge and fellow shooter Indiya Parker with centimetre-perfect passes.
The buffer stayed at double figures as Katunga’s defensive end denied Deni’s shooters any easy looks, stretching the score to 38-26 at the last change.
Even when the Rovers began the final quarter with a flicker of resistance, the Swans simply upped the tempo.
Howden’s composure and the Swans’ younger legs combined to rip back authority and pull away to the 52-33 finish.
“The message before the game was to play our game, support each other, be hard, leave everything out on the court and enjoy it,” Towe said.
“We’ve been almost undefeated this year and this is probably the tightest the team’s been. It’s a fantastic way to finish.”
Weeks was crowned best on court for a blistering game on the wing, while the entire Katunga group did themselves proud on a day that mirrored the 2024 decider.
