Netball
5 August, 2025
Horsham back in form with statement win against Warriors
Horsham delivered a statement win against Stawell in round 15, grabbing second place on the ladder with just three rounds remaining.
Playing at City Oval, the Demons almost doubled the Warriors' score, winning 87-45.
Co-coach Eb Salter said the side was determined to bounce back emphatically from their round 14 loss against Dimboola.
The premiership-winning coach said 'accountability' was the underlying theme heading into their clash.
"We needed to be accountable for our games," Salter said.
"As a team, we've been changing a lot… [we're] trying to find the right mix with our new lineup this year, and we just haven't probably had enough accountability."
Although the Demons have won eight more games than the Warriors, it was neck and neck throughout the first quarter, with the defending premiers only establishing a break minutes before the first break.
Co-coach Georgie Carberry said the message at quarter time was simple: keep up the intensity.
"I think no matter whether you're at the top of the ladder or the bottom of the ladder, everyone's going to push you in that first quarter," she said.
"Everyone is quite strong in this comp. I think we know that most teams are going to match us in the first quarter, but it's what we do in the second quarter that makes a difference."
The message rang true with the side with Horsham going on a 27-10 run.
Fast, accurate passing put the Warriors on the back foot, allowing Horsham to double Stawell's score at half-time.
"We'd gone away from [fast play] a bit in the first half of the season; I think a lot of that has to do with our lineup," Salter said.
"We're now really settled. We're confident with the lineup we've got now, and we just needed to get back to our style of play.
"We know that the other teams have tried to break our game down, but we're confident that we can overcome that now, and we just need to again be accountable and have faith in our teammates."
With only a handful of games until finals, the Demons were determined not to go into cruise control in the second half.
A 39-21 second half saw Horsham extend its lead, eventually winning by 42 goals.
The Demons' front court duo of Georgia Batson and Imogen Worthy were named best on court, scoring 36 goals and 51 goals respectively.
The victory gives Horsham a one-win break against Dimboola, who enjoyed a round 15 bye.
Meanwhile, ladder leaders the Horsham Saints won a hard-fought contest at Coughlin Park against Southern Mallee Thunder 75-47.
Heading into the game, the Thunder were on a four-game win streak, with Steph Thomson and Emma Mill doing the bulk of the scoring.
However, the defensive prowess of Shannon Cross, Maddison Bethune and Lena Marshman prevented any home court upset for the Saints.
Through Jorja Clode and Abby Hallam, the Saints established a solid nine-goal lead at halftime.
An 18-10 third quarter saw the Saints extend their lead to 19 goals, while a 22-13 final quarter closed the door.
In the end, Clode scored 51 goals for the Saints, while Hallam added 23.
Thomson scored 28 for the Thunder, and Mills added 16.
The loss saw the Thunder fall to fifth on the ladder, albeit one win below Ararat and Dimboola.
The Rats enjoyed a 78-36 win against Minyip Murtoa at home, with Maggie Astbury scoring 51 goals for the hosts.
Jess Newell scored 26 for the Burras, while Molly Fagan's 10 earned her the award for best on court.
In the final game of the season, Warrack Eagles defeated Nhill on the road by 13 goals.
The Eagles shared the goal scoring, with Nicola Clyne (18), Lauren Clyne (15), and Amber O'Connor (15), helping Warrack record a 48-35 victory.
Charlotte Foulds was strong for the Tigers with 20 goals, while Ruby James added 15.
