Victorian Netball League: Boroondara Express wraps up the season with plenty of promise for seasons to come

Boroondara Express wrapped up its Victorian Netball League championship division season with a hefty win over Ariels at the State Netball Hockey Centre on Wednesday night.

Boroondara Express wrapped up its Victorian Netball League championship division season with a hefty win over Ariels at the State Netball Hockey Centre on Wednesday night.

And while its season is now over, finishing a fair way adrift of the four finalists, there was a lot to like about how powerfully the Express thundered to the last station on the line this year.

Winning its last two games of the home-and-away season, including a 10-goal upset of the finals-bound Hawks in the penultimate round, left Boroondara in seventh spot with a 5-12-1 record.

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Boroondara Express coach Kayla McQuade said there’s a lot to like about her side’s future. Picture: David Crosling

On Wednesday night, Boroondara opened a 17-goal lead at halftime and was never challenged on the way to a 59-33 win over Ariels.

The way her squad was travelling as the season ended has given coach Kaylea McQuade plenty to look forward to next year.

With quality players like Sam Gooden, Lara Dunkley and Matilda Garrett missing on ANL and Super netball duties, Boroondara was forced to blood a number of younger players, ahead of schedule, and their rapid progress delighted the coach.

“Since round 14 we’ve had three wins and a draw in five games, so that was certainly good work,” McQuade said. “The age and experience that’s in the championship team is very young.

“The (promoted) girls came into the squad and connected really well. And we’ve had a number of players come to the club and they are really enjoying the atmosphere.”

Throw in a number of narrow defeats in matches that could have gone either way — losses to flag fancy Melbourne University Lightning by just seven and five goals among them — and the ledger could well have looked rosier at season’s end.

The highlight of year was the 60-50 win over Hawks, a win that reflected the upward trajectory the squad is charting.

Georgia Harper’s progress has been one of the highlights of the season Picture: David Crosling

“At the end of the game I was so excited and the girls were just so blasé about it,” McQuade said. “They just said ‘we knew we could do it’.”

McQuade was particularly impressed by development shown by young goaler Clare Vearing and midcourter Georgia Harper, both still eligible for 19&under but both far from out of their depth in the top flight.

“She’s very strong and got a great build,” McQuade said of Vearing. “But her mental game has come along and her confidence.”

While of Harper she said, “she came into the team because of injuries but she’s held her position. She’s been outstanding and has delivered every game”.

Adding the sense of optimism, Boroondara’s 19&under side topped the ladder at the end of the home-and-away season and will embark on a finals campaign this week.