Netball
21 August, 2025
Demons and Bombers battle to stay alive
Laharum and Noradjuha Quantong will battle to stay in the A grade netball finals when the two sides clash this Sunday at North Park in Stawell in the Horsham District Football Netball League.
The two regular-season matches between the sides saw Laharum win 41-28 in round six, while Noradjuha Quantong had a 46-31 victory in round 17.
Laharum, last year’s premiers, have been one of the form sides again in 2025, producing 12 wins, which included handing league leaders Rupanyup their only defeat of the season in round seven.
But the Demons struggled in their final couple of games of the regular season, with Maddie Iredell, Rebecca McIntyre and Lilly Weir being notable absences as they lost to Noradjuha Quantong and Rupanyup in recent weeks.
With Weir competing in the world Teenage CrossFit Games in the United States this week and Iredell coaching her, the Demons face an uphill battle considering the last result between the two sides.
After finishing second on the ladder in 2024, Noradjuha Quantong have not quite met last year’s standard but have remained a competitive force throughout the 2025 season.
The Bombers may be hitting their best form at just the right time, finishing their season with wins over Taylors Lake and Laharum and a hard-fought loss to Kalkee when coach Fiona Rowe was testing her side’s playing combinations.
The sides are two of the best defensive teams in the competition, with goal defenders Ema Iredell (Laharum) and Taylor Shelley (Noradjuha Quantong) among the best defensive players in the league, meaning opportunities in the goal circle will be at a premium for both sides.
With Laharum having to play key players such as Liv Jones (usually centre) out of position in recent weeks, Noradjuha Quantong are likely to have the edge in the midcourt if the Demons start the same team as last week.
The Bombers will be favoured to win on Sunday but the potential return of Rebecca McIntrye at goal keeper could provide the Demons the boost they need.
The winner of Sunday’s game will take on the loser of the qualifying final between Edenhope Apsley and Kalkee.