The Tasmanian Netball League's Round 17 delivered dominant performances, a crucial win, and plenty of talking points across both the Opens and 19&Under competitions.
Kingston Blues set the tone for the round early, taking to the court at Kingborough Sports Centre on Friday night and putting Karana Flames to the sword in emphatic fashion. A 76-37 final scoreline and a 39-goal winning margin left little doubt about where the Blues currently sit in the competition pecking order. Congratulations to Player of the Round, Kingston's Nicole Hunt for her huge 60 goal haul.
Saturday's games brought more of the same from Cavaliers, who travelled to the Hub and dispatched Devon 59-39. A 20-goal margin made it a comfortable afternoon's work for the Cavs, who continue to look like genuine finals contenders. The Cavaliers' Hayley McDougall is once again the Opens Hot Shot for round 17 scoring 35 from 36 attempts at 97% accuracy.
The Hawks continued their winning streak, taking home a 41-34 win in Hobart against Cripps Waratah. The Hawks still sit one win clear of the Cavaliers ahead of this Friday nights northern derby, it will be one not to miss!
The younger Blues mirrored their Opens counterparts in style, steamrolling Karana Flames 63-29 at Kingborough on Friday evening. A 34-goal victory is a serious statement from a Kingston side that looks every bit as dangerous as their senior team. The 19U Hot Shot of the Round for Kingston is Annabelle Gatehouse, with 35 goals from 38 attempts at 92% accuracy.
Cavaliers continued their strong form in the 19U grade, accounting for Devon 54-43 at the Hub. Devon showed more fight than the scoreline perhaps suggests, but the Cavs had enough quality to hold them off and take the four points.
The closest result of the 19U round came late on Saturday afternoon at Hobart Netball and Sports Centre. Northern Hawks produced a gritty, determined performance, but couldn't quite take the win from Cripps Waratah. The match ended up with Cripps victorious 43-33. It was the tightest contest of the weekend across both grades and a result that all but locks Cripps Waratah into top spot on the ladder come finals.
