Magpies soar into 2026 A Grade decider

A successful round of finals for the Euroa netballers has all four finals contenders still in the race, with three teams heading into their respective Preliminary Final next week - albeit the B Grade from a loss on Sunday - while A Grade have a week off, their place in the Grand Final now locked in. A GRADE Euroa have booked themselves a place in the 2026 Grand Final after producing a determined performance against Echuca on Sunday. Inspired by the fabulous wins from the 15 and Under and B Reserve sides earlier in the weekend, Euroa A Grade came out firing from the very first centre pass. Echuca won the toss and elected to give Euroa the first centre pass, a decision they may well have regretted, as the Magpies never looked back. Euroa established an early lead, taking a 14 to 9 advantage into quarter-time. Bec Colwell was once again prolific at GS, finishing with 54 goals and recording her tenth 50-plus goal game of the season. Her scoring opportunities came courtesy of a standout performance from Mia Sudomirski at GA, who led like a captain and was instrumental in feeding Colwell. Echuca tried a number of defensive combinations throughout the match, but Euroa continued to find answers. Taiysha Wallis at WA, Sophie Owen in Centre and Eliza Hoare at WD worked tirelessly through the midcourt, battling hard and coming out on top on most occasions. At the defensive end, Tylah Marchbank and Ellie Warnock made life difficult for the Echuca goalers, applying plenty of pressure and forcing the visitors to work for every opportunity. Euroa continued to build their advantage, extending their nine-goal half-time lead to 14 by the final change before running out convincing 60 to 45 winners. The A Grade Magpies now turn their attention to the 2026 Grand Final, while cheering on the other three Euroa teams as they take to Deakin Reserve on Sunday for their Preliminary Finals. B GRADE Euroa were outclassed by a determined Shepparton Bears outfit at Kyabram on Sunday, going down 58 to 38 in warm conditions. The Bears arrived ready to play their best finals netball, while Euroa were left playing catch-up for much of the contest despite having plenty of possession. Euroa trailed 20 to 28 at half-time and needed to find another gear after the break. Avie Hill, returning from a sprained ankle, made her mark at GA, finishing with 20 goals and combining well with Sarah Ternes and Bree Poole, who both put in strong performances. Steph Warburton worked tirelessly at WD, encouraging her teammates from start to finish while doing a fine job of restricting her direct opponent. Bethan Burton backed up after her outstanding 15 and Under victory the previous day, replacing Millie Watson in Centre and joining Ruby Watson to provide plenty of run through the midcourt. The heat began to take its toll in the third term, and Euroa were dealt another blow when Katy Frewen, who had been having a great game in her 100th, sustained an ankle injury in the dying minutes of the quarter. Alice Ludlow stepped into GK, with Kelly Hill at GD, but Euroa couldn’t stem the Bears’ scoring flow. At three-quarter time, Euroa trailed 31 to 42. There were patches of good play, but consistency was lacking. Euroa will now regroup and look to rediscover the form that carried them into the finals when they face old foes Seymour in next Sunday’s Preliminary Final. B RESERVE The trek to Kyabram on Sunday turned out to be well worth the effort for Euroa’s B Reserve team, who booked their place in the 2026 Preliminary Final with a convincing win against Rochester. With the experienced duo of Megan O’Bree and Abbie Ellis dictating play in the centre, the methodical and deliberate Magpie side gained control of the game midway through the second quarter and never really looked back. The constant encouragement and guidance from Abbie and Megan proved a real advantage, settling things down when Rochester mounted several serious challenges. Defenders Demi Walker, Alice Ludlow, Emily Storer, and Keely Wright applied strong pressure and made it difficult for their opponents to find space. Their excellent positioning and close checking resulted in numerous intercepts and turnovers. They worked tirelessly as a defensive unit, communicating effectively and contesting every ball. Midcourters Sienna Trotter, Chanelle Paulke, and Charli Pittock moved and manoeuvred with effortless ease, switching from defence to attack as required throughout all four quarters, despite the increasingly warm conditions. Their passing was a thing of beauty, direct, and visionary. Magpie goalers Molly Redfern and Ella Hill worked together in synchronicity in the ring, feeding the ball to each other with precision and goaling with confidence. They were a calm and consistent presence under pressure, keeping the scoreboard ticking over with a delightful black-and-white monotony. A well-deserved 13-goal win now sees Euroa meet arch-rivals Seymour next Sunday at Deakin Reserve. The stakes are certainly high, with a place in the Grand Final up for grabs. Go Magpies. FINAL SCORE: Euroa 50 defeated Rochester 37 BEST: Megan O’Bree, Ella Hill, Molly Redfern 15 AND UNDER Euroa’s 15 and Under team took to the court against Shepparton United in wet and dreary conditions at Seymour’s Kings Park last Saturday. The game was a do-or-die affair, with the winner advancing to the Preliminary Final while the loser was done for 2026. Spectators from both sides were vocal from the get-go, with Euroa looking to match it with their United opposition for much of the first quarter. Isla Moore was playing well in the goalkeeper role alongside Belle Ford, whose poise in goal defence was holding Euroa together. United began to dominate on the scoreboard and at one stage opened up a lead of more than 10 goals early in the third quarter. This was when the Euroa machine clicked into gear, with Molly Fowler and Maisy Wilson showing great enthusiasm and determination to get the ball forward to Bethan Burton and Ava Gordon in the goal ring. Slowly but surely, the Euroa train gathered momentum as the game entered the final quarter, with Isabel Gordon feeding the ball into the two goalers with wonderful precision. Tully Watson gave the side a burst with fresh legs through the midcourt as the margin between the two sides grew smaller and smaller. In a tense yet exciting final quarter, Euroa edged their way into the lead, only for United to wrestle it back as the game looked set to be decided by less than a couple of goals. Bethan Burton was “shooting the lights out”, repeatedly with a remarkable level of calm, throwing goal after goal. The last one came with less than five seconds remaining in regular time, drawing the match and sending it into overtime. Coach Tayla Robinson gathered her troops during the break, steadied their nerves and set them up for the two extra seven-minute periods to follow. In a remarkable 15 minutes or so, the two sides battled out an epic finish. The ebbs and flows of the contest had supporters from both clubs with their hearts in their mouths time and again. Neither side could assert any real dominance throughout extra time. It came down to the final play of the day, with the scores level. A Euroa goal from Bethan Burton sealed the deal and sent the Magpies through to next weekend’s Preliminary Final. Best players: Bethan Burton, Isla Moore, Belle Ford