General News
18 September, 2025
Integrated approach key for Saints, Demons netball success
The Horsham Demons and Horsham Saints will continue their netball rivalry this Saturday in the Wimmera Football Netball League grand finals at Warracknabeal.
Fielding six teams each across seven netball grades this Saturday, both clubs’ netball programs continue to set the standard across the league.
The Saints will hope to replicate last year’s success, where they won premierships in five netball grades, while the Demons will aim to snatch a few away after claiming the esteemed A grade premiership in 2024.
Tamika Burdett, assistant netball director at the Saints, says 2025 has been another stellar season for the club, regardless of how the grand finals shape out.
“Extremly proud to have most teams go through undefeated until the finals – it’s an outstanding achievement,” Burdett said.
“To have success in all seven grades of netball has been incredible.
“And when you add in the individual achiements that were awarded at the junior league presentation and then the senior presentation night, our netballers are just on fire.”
Pauline Butler, senior netball director at the Horsham Demons, credits the club’s coaches for their impressive year ahead of Saturday’s games.
“Extremely proud of the year,” Butler said.
“This year we're very lucky and privileged to have some pretty good coaches throughout our program.
“It's a testament to them and all their hard work they've done throughout the year and what they've been able to achieve.
“To get to this point and to make the grand final is an achievement within itself, so win, lose or draw on the weekend it's an honour just to be playing in the grand final.”
While the sustained success of both clubs attracts both junior and senior players, the emphasis on development in the junior ranks has been a key catalyst for both clubs.
Burdett said the ability of junior players to play at senior level was a reflection of the netball program’s strength.
“I would say our junior program is one of the best around,” Burdett said.
“To think that every under 17 netballer represents a grade in the seniors as well, and to think that we've got 15-and-under players who are also playing senior level, just goes to show the strength we have and the development we have coming through.
“At one stage during the season, one weekend we had 12 senior netballers out for various reasons and we were able to still pull out wins.”
Ashlee Grace, A grade captain of the Saints and this year’s Hatcher medallist, said the mix of coaching and integration of juniors into senior training had been critical in getting the best out of the young Saints netballers.
“Getting the right coaches in, teaching the fundamentals well and really making them feel included and invite them to senior training, and getting them playing with us as quickly as we can,” Grace said.
“That just improves their netball and helps us improve and then they don't feel a shock when they come on the court.”
The sentiment on coaching is shared by Butler, who says the similar training styles of both the junior and senior programs has allowed for the ongoing progression of Horsham’s netballers into the senior grades.
“I think a lot of it probably has got to do with our junior program and how how we work with our kids,” Butler said.
“We work very similarly with our kids to what we do with the senior players.
“We try to teach them all the same styles and the same bits and pieces on the netball court, so I think our junior program for many years has been really strong.
“We've been fortunate enough to have some really, really good coaches in there who have just been able to develop these kids from their junior playing career and now you're seeing them playing the seniors.
“Being a director and being around the club for a long, long time, seeing what were kids back in my day all playing up in A grade and B grade now, is just a testament to the club.
“To see their growth and development over many, many years and how they're getting the rewards by playing in grand finals at senior level, it’s pretty amazing."
