Netball
17 April, 2026
Demons face improved Tigers
Laharum’s A grade netball side will look to make it two wins in a row to start the season when they host Pimpinio this Saturday, April 18 at Cameron Oval.
The Demons demonstrated they are a force to be reckoned with in 2026 after recording a 67-30 win over Taylors Lake in round one.
Laharum co-coach Brooke Taylor was particularly impressed by the developing combinations on both sides of the court.
“We’re pretty happy with both Ilze (Van Zyl) and Cato (Caitlin Jones-Story),” Taylor said.
“Cato seemed to get into it without missing a beat, and Ilze, her accuracy was really good, plus the pair of them got a lot of offensive rebounds when they did miss a shot.
“The connection is definitely growing between the two of them there.
“That is much the same with the defensive combination between Jaspa (Robinson) and Ema (Iredell); they got their hands on a lot of ball down there.
“Liv Jones in the middle was really solid; she fed the ball really well.”
Despite the comprehensive win, Taylor acknowledged there is plenty to work on.
“As much as we're happy with the win, and you need to be accepting of the fact that it's round one, the girls definitely didn't play all four quarters on the weekend,” Taylor said.
“They did fade out in the second half, and credit to Taylors Lake, they kept the pressure on right to the end and had really good hands over defence down the court.
“I think we did have some periods of time where we lapsed in concentration, but on the whole, pretty happy with the result.”
The Demons will turn their attention to a Pimpinio side that demonstrated they will be a much more competitive outfit in 2026 after pushing Edenhope Apsley before going down 59-51.
The inclusion of Tahlia Thompson in the goal circle appears to have boosted the Tigers’ offence, which Taylor admits will be a good challenge for Robinson and Iredell in defence.
“We know how strong Edenhope are, so to get that close to them shows Pimpinio has come a long way from last year with their new recruits,” Taylor said.
“They scored quite well on the weekend, so their attacking end was working well.
“It will be a good challenge for our new defensive combination.”
In other A grade netball games, Harrow Balmoral will look to use their home-court advantage against an imposing Noradjuha Quantong side that limited the Swifts to just 18 goals in round one.
Kalkee will commence its season on Saturday, hosting Taylors Lake.
After a strong victory over Rupanyup in round one, Natimuk United will look to make it consecutive home wins against a Kaniva Leeor side that overcame Harrow Balmoral.
In a unique grand final rematch, Edenhope Apsley will host reigning premiers Rupanyup, but with the Panthers fielding a new-look side in 2026, the Saints will be favoured to take the win.