Sport
24 September, 2025
Warriors claim memorable premiership
Stawell Warriors C-Reserve netballers completed the perfect season on their way to the 2025 Wimmera Football Netball League premiership, defeating the Horsham Saints by 10 goals at Anzac Park, Warracknabeal, last Saturday.
The Warriors entered the match having defeated the Saints by seven goals two weeks earlier, and despite defeating the Saints three times during the season, knew that the match was going to be tough, and tough it was.
In the first quarter, the pressure was intense with the Warriors taking a two-goal lead into quarter-time. The game stayed the way in the second, with the Warriors keeping that margin at half-time.
At half-time, the Warriors swung the changes, with Michelle Beaton moving herself into the GS position, and Kristy Ainley into the GA position, and the move worked wonders.
In the third quarter, the Warriors scored 11 goals to seven to lead by six goals at three-quarter-time.
The Warriors continued to draw away in the last to win 34-24.
Michelle Beaton scored 24 goals, while Al Cameron and Kristy Ainley scored five each. Madi Freeland was awarded best-on-court.
Warriors coach Michelle Beaton said it was a tough match.
“Despite being undefeated, I wouldn’t have said we went in as favourites because years of experience know it’s anyone's game on the day,” Beaton said.
“I said to the girls to trust each other, as a lot of us have played for years.
“I told them that we needed to play our own game and not take the foot off, and hopefully we would come away with a win.”
“We knew it was going to be tight as it was the same going into the previous final, so I held off making changes until half-time, and at half-time I made slight changes in the court to bring us to a different level,” Beaton said.
“My message at three-quarter time was to back each other and to score off our centre pass and any turnover ball, and to keep the foot down, because the Horsham Saints are classy and I knew they would continue to push us.”
Beaton said the celebrations were huge after the win.
“It was an excellent win, especially given the team I was playing with, as I have played with a lot of these girls for a long time and unfortunately we lost grand finals in previous years, so it’s great to get one under our belt,” Beaton said.
“Of all the premierships I have been a part of, this is right up there. They are all memorable for their own reasons.
“This one we had a great mix of players from experience through to some young players that have shown so much growth over the season, and a couple of players coming back from long layoffs, so it was a great mixture and a great group of girls.”
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