The Castlemaine Football Netball Club welcomed Bendigo Football Netball League newcomers Broadford FC to the Camp Reserve for the first time on Saturday in round 8 action.
The club report is as follows:
Football
The Magpie Under 18s faced a hard-nosed Broadford. The boys got challenged to play a four quarter Castlemaine game, which is exactly what they did. They ran away convincing winners in the end 167-21. Standouts for the day included Lewis Murray, Ben Jardine, Max Matheson and Jack Archer. This places the Under 18’s into 4th position on the ladder and in a great position to lock away a finals spot. They come up against a firing Sandhurst this weekend which presents a massive challenge for the boys!
The Reserves got back on the winners list at home. Castlemaine got off to a great start kicking 5 goals 7 points to nil. Broadford fought out the game kicking a goal in each quarter to finish with 3. The Magpies kicked another 8 for the game to finish with 13 and come out on top by 74 points. Chaz Holman finished with 6 goals and Caspian Lord got 3, both were in the best with Alec Staples and Campbell McLennan. Harper Kneebone continues to impress. Best for the day was Patty Leathem who stepped up to ruck duties and showed that he’s not only a good defender. The 2s are starting to show some real talent and depth.
The Seniors match was started with acknowledging our very own John Watson’s fabulous Senior career at Castlemaine.
John has many accolades; amongst them, CFNC Life Membership, coaching premiership teams in our Juniors, Coach of the Year in Juniors and always doing what is best for Castlemaine.
John has been with us in the lean years where Saturday’s result had been reversed and saw us on the end of many defeats. Congratulations John on an amazing achievement, thank you for the dedication and time given to CFNC- 200 Senior games! We look forward to watching you continue the tally!
We also congratulate Alex Welch on his Senior debut and wish him a fabulous future at CFNC. The talent coming through our ranks is outstanding! Our sincere thanks to Len Watson for coming into the rooms prior to the match to acknowledge John’s milestone and present Alex with his jumper. It is wonderful to see our past players coming to our games and continuing their support of CFNC.
With a total of 35 goals kicked we watched Harts kick a total of 15! What an effort, with everyone keeping count around the ground. The last time a personal tally like this took place at Castlemaine was in 1992 when Steven Oliver kicked 14. Harry continued his great form and came away with 50 touches, an outstanding performance.
Bodhi Robinson got to celebrate his first Senior win at Castlemaine. Every Senior player played their part and for supporters it was a chance to enjoy a match without the angst! Our skills were on display for the large crowd, as we all know it is sometimes hard playing in games where the outcome was known early on; we stuck with the plan knowing that percentage will come into play at the end of the season. This result was fabulous for all the boys who had not played in such a match, we hope they enjoyed the feeling. We now head into the second half of the season with momentum and need to win those close ones!
Netball
Under 17s
After a few tough weeks, we secured our first win on the board for the season. It was a close and competitive game throughout, with both teams fighting hard. Everyone played their role and contributed to a strong team performance from start to finish. It was a fantastic effort and a great result!
B Reserve
B Res celebrated their first win of the season with a fantastic team performance. The players showed great determination under pressure, working together seamlessly to move the ball down the court and create opportunities for the goalies. Defensively, the team never gave up, with the defenders putting in a huge effort to win rebounds, collect loose balls, and contest every play. It was a well-deserved win that reflected the hard work, teamwork, and persistence shown by the entire side.
B Grade
Things didn’t go our way on the scoreboard, but every player gave their all from start to finish. We continued to work together as a team, supported each other through the tough moments, and never stopped fighting for every ball. While the result wasn’t what we hoped for, there were plenty of positives to take away, and we’ll use them to keep improving. We’ll learn from this game, stay focused, and come back stronger next time.
A Grade
Castlemaine celebrated its first A Grade win since returning to the competition, marking a significant milestone for the club. It was especially exciting for Grace, Abby T, Abby K and Anna, who recorded their first-ever win in the black and white dress. As a netball program, we continue to grow, develop and build towards sustained success, and we’re excited about what lies ahead for the group.
(Broadford do not field an U15 or A Reserve side).
Sponsor of the Week
This week the club celebrate our Platinum Sponsors Fairbrother. We sincerely thank them for their ongoing support. For over 50 years Fairbrother has been a symbol of excellence in the Australian constructions industry. From their beginnings in Tasmania’s northwest, they have grown across the state and into Victoria to become a recognised industry leader. They are a nationally award-winning company specialising in commercial and industrial construction, joinery and facilities management. Fairbrother have undertaken quality work which can be seen at Galkangu (Bendigo GovHub), Bendigo Art Gallery and Werribee Open Range Zoo to name but a few. These projects and many more can be viewed on their website.
This weekend
The Magpie Women’s and Under 18 Girls squads enjoyed a week’s rest due to the King’s Birthday long weekend and will tackle Sandhurst at the Queen Elizabeth Oval this evening, Friday June 12. The Under 18s hit the park at 5.30pm, followed by the Senior Women at 7.30pm.
This Saturday the Magpie sides play Sandhurst at the home of finals, the Queen Elizabeth Oval. Let’s show everyone how far we have come! Go Magpies!