Sport
21 August, 2025
Thunder A grade polish finals form
It was a tough game against the Demons on Saturday for the Moddies, but as always they fought hard and tried their best.
They had some great passages of play down the court and shot well.
Each player worked hard to contribute to the team and together they produced a solid effort.
Emma was a strong voice of support and lifted the team with her energy.
Lilah worked hard to lead into space and moved well in the ring, while Emily was strong in defence.
Mia intercepted well and Matilda H made her presence known in attack and defence.
Kaija moved the ball down the court while Matilda T applied pressure as a defender and snagged a goal as a shooter.
Adalyn supported her team by working hard to effectively lead to the ball.
Scarlett used her leaping skills to intercept and apply pressure.
Layla C had a positive influence with effective court movement and hit the scoreboard.
Lola was dominant everywhere, supported those around her and focused on what needed to be done and earnt herself the Mealsbox Award.
Layla P put together a strong attacking performance and applied defensive pressure as required, finishing the day the recipient of the Thunder Canteen award.
Awards: Lola Huf, Layla Poynton
[CROSSHEAD]Under 13s
Our last away game for the season saw Thunder travel down the road to take on the Horsham Demons.
On a chilly morning, the 13 and under girls warmed up in sync, showing great team spirit despite the cold.
The game started off slowly, with the girls needing time to gain momentum and maintain possession off our centre passes.
Pippa S and Sophie worked tirelessly in the midcourt, feeding the ball into the ring to Felicity and Mia.
However, Horsham’s tight defence and the tough weather conditions made scoring a real challenge.
In defence, Elka, Pippa F and Amelia applied consistent pressure, managing to get hands to or intercept many balls.
Pippa Fisher, in particular, chased down every loose ball right to the final whistle, showing great determination.
At half-time we made several rotations, bringing Amelia and Emily into the goal ring and introducing Layla, Adalyn and Emma S into the midcourt.
The fresh legs and enthusiasm of our Grade 6 girls were clear, with their development and training translating into strong efforts on court.
Emily moved beautifully and used her voice well in the GA position while Adalyn consistently pressured the ball with hands up over every pass.
Despite being mercied by the Demons in the third quarter, our girls never gave up and continued to chase every opportunity with determination.
Final score: Horsham Demons 36 defeated Thunder 6
Awards: Bow Bakery Award – Pippa Fisher; Sweat Towel Award – Emily Watson; Coaches' Award – Adalyn Clugston
Well done, girls, on a strong effort and teamwork in tough conditions.
[CROSSHEAD]Under 15s
What an outstanding performance from the Thunder 15s.
Every single player stepped onto the court with determination, energy and a fantastic team spirit.
From the first whistle to the final siren, the team played sensational netball, showcasing incredible skill, smart decision-making and seamless teamwork.
Each player made a valuable contribution, whether it was through sharp passes, strong defence, accurate shooting or relentless effort all over the court.
The communication, support and commitment to one another were clear for all to see, making this a truly special team effort.
The coaches could not be prouder of this group.
The progress, positivity and passion the players continue to show is remarkable – and it’s paying off in style.
Thunder 15s are growing up not only as individual players but as a tight-knit and dynamic team.
Keep it up, Thunder.
Final score:Horsham Demons 48 defeated SM Thunder 8
Awards: Ruby Tregenza, Luca Landrigan
[CROSSHEAD]Under 17s
The girls put their all on the court on Saturday, not going down without a fight against the Demons.
The goal the girls had was to better the score with which they were mercy-ruled on last game, and they absolutely smashed it, with the mercy rule coming into play only halfway through the third quarter and the scores being 15-65.
Bests this week went firstly to Rachael Camilleri, who put pressure on every ball possible and was looking for the best options into the ring the whole game.
Charlotte McPherson got second best with an exceedingly well-played game as she made leads to the ball and put pressure on every chance she got.
Phoebe Bigham got the Coaches' Award with her amazing shooting and using her height as an advantage to get the ball into the ring easier.
Final score:Horsham Demons 65 defeated SM Thunder 15
Awards: Rachael Camilleri, Charlotte McPherson, Phoebe Bigham
[CROSSHEAD]C grade
Round 17 saw us take on the Horsham demons on their home courts.
The C-grade girls started off strong with some great defensive pressure from Hailey, Luca and Jade.
Veronica was working hard in WA to feed some lovely passes in to Bronte and Olivia.
The insertion of Kate into WD saw some well timed and flawless intercepts, making room for mum (Kat) to run the centre with some beautiful passing and cheeky tips of the ball.
Kim and Rach showed their connection with some lovely plays down the attacking end.
Unfortunately we ended up losing on the scoreboard 45-22.
However, there were lots of positives to take away.
Final score: Horsham Demons 45 defeated SM Thunder 22
Awards: Kate Gibson, Kat Landrigan
[CROSSHEAD]B grade
The Thunder B-grade girls faced a challenging match against the Horsham Demons, ultimately going down 58-24.
Despite the scoreline, the game was hard-fought, with the Thunder girls showing moments of strong play against the top team in the league.
Denita Reid was a standout performer, demonstrating her versatility and skill.
She commanded the midcourt with confidence before seamlessly transitioning into GD for the first time this season.
Jaida Baldwin-Monk also delivered a solid defensive effort at WD, securing important intercepts and disrupting the Demons' flow.
Throughout the game, the Thunder girls showcased their adaptability with numerous position changes.
Notably, midcourt player Issy Allen stepped into goals, successfully scoring three goals.
The team responded well to these changes, demonstrating their ability to adjust and compete despite the shifting dynamics on the court.
Final score: Horsham Demons 58 defeated SM Thunder 24
Awards: Denita Reid, Jaida Baldwin-Monk
[CROSSHEAD]A grade
Southern Mallee Thunder's A grades proved they are a genuine finals contender with a commanding 59–47 victory over Horsham on Saturday in Horsham.
The game began tightly, with Thunder edging ahead 15–14 by quarter-time.
From there they never looked back, building momentum in the second and third quarters with relentless defensive pressure and sharp attacking play.
By three-quarter-time Thunder had stretched their lead to 17 goals, leaving Horsham with too much ground to make up despite a late push.
The match was played in conditions that delivered all four seasons but Thunder’s energy and team spirit never wavered.
Every player contributed to crucial turnovers, which were swiftly converted on the scoreboard, keeping the vibe high across the court and lifting the side to a memorable win over the second-placed Demons.
Abby White was strong in defence with countless tips and given Horsham not a single inch of movement, while Codie Stanford's work rate through the midcourt stood out, delivering excellent feeds into the ring and forcing multiple turnovers and intercepts.
Steph Thomson shot a whopping 40 goals against a tough opponents, providing a strong target all day long.
The 12-goal triumph cements Thunder’s spot inside the top four and sends a strong message as finals approach.
Final score: SM Thunder 59 defeated Horsham Demons 47
Awards: Abby White, Codie Sandford, Steph Thomson
