THE senior interleague netball matches between the Central Rivers leagues and Sunraysia netball league have been cancelled after Central Murray and Golden Rivers were unable to field teams.
Representative teams for both leagues were set to travel to Mildura on July 6 over the league-wide bye weekend, but Sunraysia will need to find a new opponent after the withdrawal.
Central Rivers leagues manager Jessie Chester said she initially believed there was enough interest in the matches early this year but quickly found this wasn’t the case.
“When we first put out expressions of interest for our junior interleague netball, there had been talk around whether there would be senior netball,” Chester said.
“It wasn’t something I’d considered at first, but because I’d heard that interest I thought it would be a lot easier to set up a netball team.
“You only need seven players and maybe two on the bench – how hard it could it be to organise?
“But when we asked for expressions of interest for coaching, we really didn’t get any interest.
“We thought we would push ahead anyway and hopefully have someone come out of the woodwork to put their hand up.”
Having had only three Golden Rivers netballers register their interest in playing, the format of two matches was reduced to one featuring a combined squad from the two leagues.
More than 20 senior netballers had registered their interest in playing, but Chester said that fewer than half of those interested had attended the first night of trials for the team.
“I’d engaged three independent selectors to attend our first night of trials and I think we only had eight players attend, which was disappointing,” she said.
“I’ve got to give credit to Tyntynder’s Kelsey Rowe.
“She had tried out and we approached her to take on the coaching position, which she then agreed to do.
“We thought that was great, and that once we had filled that coaching position that would attract more people.
“A couple of the girls Kelsey engaged with were forced to pull out due to injuries or being away, and from there it has kind of snowballed.
“We’d thought about bringing up some of our talented under-17s and under-15s, but it was a senior match and those girls had already played a huge couple of months.”
It was at that point Chester knew the leagues would be unable to field a competitive side.
“I really pushed and pushed for us to have a team until I realised that it really wasn’t feasible anymore with the match on the bye weekend and having to travel to play when there’s not that incentive of playing alongside the best team possible,” Chester said.
“I don’t know if it is worth it for the players to give up that one weekend they have off when you’re already halfway through the season.
“I think in those competitions you really want to put forward your best side – you are representing the league and its reputation.
“We don’t want to go up to Mildura with a mediocre side.
“As harsh as that might sound, it is representative netball, and it is that next step up.”
Chester said that while she was disappointed the interleague netball wouldn’t go ahead for local leagues, Sunraysia had been understanding of the cancellation.
“Sunraysia have been really good in response to this,” she said.
“They really understood how hard it can be to put a team together.
“I was quite apprehensive to pull the pin.
“Sunraysia had organised apparel, they’d organised a side and I would hate to be on the receiving end of that news myself.
“I did say to them that I’d reach out to other leagues across AFL Central Victoria to see if they were interested, and they have been really grateful for that.”
