CENTER PASS
Podcast about a netball powerhouses journey that could reap a premiership in 2024 , my views, my thoughts
CENTER PASS
Rumbalara vs Moama: The Ultimate Showdown - Can The Streak Continue?
Can Rumbalara stay undefeated, or will Moama finally break their streak? Join us for a suspense-filled episode of Centre Pass as we dissect the thrilling rivalry that has kept netball fans on the edge of their seats. We revisit the dramatic final rounds of the 2023 season, where controversial umpiring and narrow losses set the stage for an electrifying elimination final. Fast forward to 2024, where Rumbalara has showcased an incredible turnaround with 16 straight wins, while Moama has fought hard to stay in contention after early setbacks. With the season heating up, this episode previews the upcoming high-stakes clash that could determine the premiership favorites.
Get ready for an in-depth analysis featuring key players like Jesse Barnes, Charlotte Sheldon, and Abby Larkin. We break down the crucial player matchups and celebrate the importance of teamwork, adaptability, and resilience in netball. Will Abbey Larkin outplay Jesse Barnes? How pivotal will Charlotte Sheldon, Sarah, and the Taverna sisters be in the midcourt? Tune in for our predictions and reflections as we set the stage for an epic showdown at Rumbalara's home ground. This is a must-listen episode for netball enthusiasts eager to catch every moment of this fiercely competitive season.
Hey everybody and welcome to Centre Pass, a roundabout podcast about a bloke that talks netball and gets criticised for it. Now I just want to paint the picture 2023, last round of Murray League A grade netball Rambalara v Moema. League A grade netball Rumballara v Moama. Rumballara has to win the game so they don't play Moama the following week in elimination final. The game was hot. The game had intensity, it had physicality, it had skill. Also, it had things that I really can't talk about Bad umpiring decisions and to the point where the game at the end was an absolute debacle. There was confusion everywhere. You had a Moama center standing in the goal circle where Rumble are shooting so offside, but the both umpires not knowing what was calling what was happening. Pretty much that was the end of the game. Siren went, moama wins by one goal. What happens following week? Moama and Rambalara in an elimination at Moama and following week, rambumble are very, very confident, think that they're going to win the game. Unfortunately, moama turns around and beats them by three goals. So Rumble are kicked out of 2023 finals race for Murray League A grade.
Speaker 1:Fast forward to round two. So, after a massive first round where Rambalara beat Numerka by 74 goals sorry, by 34 goals and pretty much Moama coming off a massive win to Echuca United. They won by 63 goals. So Moama wins by 63. Rambalara win by 34.
Speaker 1:Round two, 2024, classic game. It had everything. It had physicality again, it had suspense. So pretty much Moama came out absolutely it. They were their skill set was just on song um. I think they shot the first probably four goals of the game, um, and then Rumbelara started to find their feet. Now this was a whole new Rumbelara side from last year. So you had the inclusions of Emily um, sarah and the massive, big inclusion of Jesse Barnes and then obviously Tiana Steele coming in the year before to fill that defensive circle. So massive, massive talent coming out of Rambalara. But Moama, you've got Charlotte Sheldon, who's an absolute superstar in that centre, an up-and-comer in defence by the name of Abby Larkin, who goes on to turn around and get picked in the under-23 V&L side, bendigo Strikers, but also gets named in a squad of 45, or 25, I think it is for Victorian under-19. So congratulations to Abby. Sensational junior player, up-and-comer, watched her for a year, very, very good. So this game had everything. As I said, it had tension, it had physicality, not dirty physicality, it was all clean.
Speaker 1:Malama came out with all guns blazing, leading by six goals quarter time Come off feeling very, very good about themselves, but then, after that, things turned. Things turned. Rambalara absolutely showed their talent, turned around and put the foot down Down by three at halftime and then eventually gets up and wins by eight. So a 14 goal turnaround by Rumbelara. Who would have thought that that game there was going to be a turning point and a pinnacle point for both teams leading into this weekend? So this weekend, not the last round, not like 2023.
Speaker 1:This is the second last round Rumballara have gone on and you would not have known it round one or round two. Rumballara have gone on and won 16 games straight undefeated. Moama have lost two. So they lost against Rumballara. They also lost against Tongayla, but after that they have turned around and pretty much I think it was after round four. So Moama haven't lost a game since round four. Rumballara haven't lost a game all year. So we turn our tides to now, tomorrow at Rumballara, after they played the second round at Moama. So Rumballara's home game this weekend. What can I say? This is going to have everything again. This is guaranteed preview. If you watch the game tomorrow, you'll be watching who will be playing in the second semifinal at Rumballara. So this is how ironic the whole thing is.
Speaker 1:As I said, moama kicked Rumballara to the curb in elimination final 2023. Rumballara regained control round two, beating Moama by eight goals. Second last round of the year. Things are on the line, but Rambalara have got everything to lose. Moema have got nothing to lose. Rambalara want to stay undefeated. They want to prove that they are premiership favourites this year. Because I tell you, if Moema beat Rambalara tomorrow, you would probably have to say that Moema would have to be premiership favourites Now. They'd have to beat Rambalara and, as I said, rambalara has got a stack full of great players. Now, I've said it before and I'll say it again you can have a team full of champions or you can have a champion team, and I think Rumbelara.
Speaker 1:Jesse Barnes had an article in Today Shep News. It was well written and, like just her mindset and everything else, she pretty much summed it up they have got youth and they have got experience on their side and they've got versatility. So through the year, rumbler, there's been times where they haven't had their whole seven, their starting seven on the court. Sarah went away for a while Emily went away to America, jessie Bamblett hurt her ankle. Shiana Steele didn't play for two games. So there's been some times where they've had to mix and match and Rumbelara have been able to adapt. They've been able to evolve in their netball over the period of the year.
Speaker 1:As I said, tomorrow at Rumbelara, this definitely is a preview to the second semifinal. There is no ifs, buts or whats. They will be playing each other at Rumballara, second semifinal, second week of finals, and that there would probably be a preview to the grand final. Tomorrow is going to be a preview to a grand final, a preview to a second semifinal and, hopefully, redemption for Rambalara for being kicked to the curb in elimination final last year. Moama again, as I said, live to Verna. Hats off to live to Verna for her first year at coaching and getting Moama to where they are. They've always been that way. It's ironic too, because you go to 2022, rambalara beat Moama to kick him out in an elimination final Last year. Moama kicks Rambalara out in an elimination final. So these two sides have had history. These two sides, no doubting it, they've got history. They want to totally beat the opposition when they get on that court and that is why you get fantastic netball. That is why you get the likes of Liv Taverna, emily Taverna, charlotte Sheldon, lisa Drysdale, jessie Barnes, tiana Steele, emily, sophie Atkinson, sarah these are the pinnacle of Murray League netball at the moment. These girls and it is on for young and old.
Speaker 1:Tomorrow at Rumble 0. This is going to be an absolute crack. I said that round two was going to be a cracker and it was. This will be a cracker. I hope it's not a blowout. I hope you know I don't. I hope there's not. Yeah, there's going to be.
Speaker 1:There's going to be nerves, a hundred percent. There's going to be nerves and and you know, and there's going to be fundamental mistakes and I've said it before in this podcast that you have to capitalize and and fix those fundamental mistakes. You, you know it's only a mistake if it happens once. If it continues happening, you've got a problem. So I really, I know there's going to be nerves, but I hope the nerves don't take over. I hope the nerves you know the nerves don't get to Rumbelara, where they fold. I hope it is a tight game. Obviously for the supporters of Rumbelara, they don't want it to be a tight game and Obviously for the supporters of Rumble 0, they don't want it to be a tight game, and the supporters for Moama they definitely don't want it to be a tight game.
Speaker 1:But I really feel like and you've got match-ups all over this court tomorrow as I said, this game is the pinnacle. These are the two best sides that have probably been going around for the last two years. I know Tom Gaylor won a premiership last year, but these two sides when it comes to just being able to get it going each week consistently two of the great sides of Murray League at the moment in A-grade netball, you want your girls if you've got girls, and you want them to be future stars of netball, yeah, you can go watch the GBL They've got some stars but this game tomorrow, this would have to be one of the best games of netball you're going to watch because you've got stars across the board on both sides. Matchups, matchups, like you've got. As I said, you've got an under 23 VNL representative and who's just been named in the under 19 stateside in Abbey Larkin, coming up against a three-time Wellman medalist, a netballer that has played VNL, a netballer who has played in GVL Grand Finals and has won GVL Grand Finals. You have got Abbey Larkin up against Jesse Barnes tomorrow.
Speaker 1:Now in netball you have your one-on-ones, but obviously you know Moema are going to have their goalkeeper in there as well and help out or whatever. But the thing is then you've got Sophie Atkinson, who you know, she just floats her air, she does her thing. But then you've got the midcourt. You've got Charlotte Sheldon playing center on probably one of the other great centers at the moment in Sarah. You've got Emily Taverna playing a wing defense on Sarah, emily who's absolutely she's an absolute star in that wing attack. And then you've got Madika playing against Liv Taverna in that wing attack and wing defence position. Then you've got Tiana Steele up against Lisa Drysdale. And the funny thing is they've come against each other before, when Lisa was playing at Echuca and Tiana was playing at Swans. But they came together for a year and played together every single week for a year when Tiana went to Moama. So they both know each other, they both know exactly how each other plays. And then you've got Jesse Bamblett on whoever their goal shooter is going to be, because they mix it up.
Speaker 1:I think last time they played Rambalara they brought a young girl, very tall, brought her on in the third quarter, very young, inexperienced. Now she's played some netball between there. There's a lot of water going under the bridge since then, so she's going to be a lot more experienced. So this game is going to be a cracker. If you wanted to put an all-star team together, you'd name 14.
Speaker 1:This is not taking away from the likes of Chelsea McDonald at Finlay or Lily Sharp or whoever, but if you wanted consistently great netball and you wanted to name an all-star side and name 14 girls, the 14 girls that are going to be on the court tomorrow would probably be in your side. They are probably the pinnacle, and I know there's other sides out there that have got great centers or whatever. But I'm talking consistently. I'm talking consistently play well against good sides and consistently play well against bad sides. You can have centers that absolutely dominate against lower sides, but then when it comes up to sides on their par or a bit above them, they crumble. These girls tomorrow don't? These girls are hard nut, netball, skilled girls that are going to absolutely put a show on. So yeah, I'm meant to be doing a preview of the game, what's going to happen, but I have no idea. I have no idea until tomorrow. To be honest, this game is going to be an absolute cracker.
Speaker 1:As I said, paint the picture 2022 Rambalara knocks Moema out of an elimination. Final 2023 Rambalara have to beat Moema. Last game they don'tose by a goal, plays Moama the following week again in elimination, gets knocked out by Moama. This year, 2024, round two Moama six goals up quarter time, three goals up half time and then all of a sudden the accelerator is put on and Moama they crumbled and Rambalara took over and Rambalara had a 14-goal turnaround to win by eight Undefeated Rumballara. All year, 14 games straight, moema have won.
Speaker 1:They have got quality, quality girls, as I said Charlotte Sheldon, liv Taverna, emily Taverna, they you know Lisa Drysdale Quality, quality, quality netballers You've got Jesse Barnes, tiana Steele, jess Bamblett, sophie Atkinson, sarah Emily Madika. Both sides have got extraordinary netballers that are going to hit this court tomorrow at Rumballara at 1.30. And in an hour's time after that, you'll either know whether Moama are a serious contender, which I think they are, but whether they've won the game and are a serious contender because I know for a fact the Shep News will run it so hard on Monday if Moama win and it could be the win and you know I hate the saying, but it could be the win that Rumballara I hate the saying but it could be the win that Rambalara or the loss that Rambalara needs. But Rambalara, they want to be undefeated. You know hard game this week and then they've got Tongala last game. So tomorrow you want to see quality, quality netballers. You want to see girls at their best, at their pinnacle. You know that are going to blow the court away.
Speaker 1:Come to Rambalara 1.30 tomorrow afternoon and watch two absolute titans of the sport in Murray League at the moment. Murray League will be licking their lips at the way these two have been playing all year. But, yeah, go and watch. That is me Nuff said. Preview of the game, reflection on what has happened and the history between these two sides since, probably way before, maybe 2022. But you know from 2022 to now it is going to be a cracking game. Tomorrow you need to watch a good game of netball and you want your girls who want to be great netballers. You want to see them. You know you want to make sure you take them down and get them to look at these girls. They want to be great netballers. Watch these girls at play. They are absolute quality on both sides.
Speaker 1:So I have no prediction. I can't predict, I don't know. My head says Moama by three, my heart says Rambalara by five. So who knows, it's going to be a cracker. I'll do a review of this game on Sunday and I could be saying that it's another undefeated game for Rambalara, or it could be they've lost their first game and they need to knuckle down. Anyway, that is me. Nuff said enjoy your week, enjoy your weekend, but this is going to be a cracking game tomorrow Rambalara versus Moema, a grade netball at 1.30 at Rambalara. I'm out bye.
