First flag in 53 years as Ryde shoots 59 for unbeaten Panthers
Kilcunda Bass had not won an A Grade netball premiership since 1973, and members of that side were at Garfield to watch the wait end
EMMA RYDE shot 59 goals in a grand final on Saturday and Kilcunda Bass ended a 53-year wait, beating defending premiers Korumburra Bena 65-41 to take the West Gippsland A Grade netball premiership at Garfield.
It is the club's first A Grade flag since 1973, and members of the side that won the last one were at Garfield to watch it.
The goal shooter accounted for all but six of her side's total, with coach and goal attack Erin Bell shooting the rest.
At 197 centimetres, Ryde shoots over the top of most defenders and reaches the ring before them, and all season they played in her shadow.
If Bell missed, Ryde was under it. If Ryde missed, Ryde was under it.
Every time the ball came into the Kilcunda Bass circle it was groundhog day, and no side found a way to break it all season.
She brought up her 1000th goal of the year in round 19, the first player in the competition's history to reach the mark in a season, and did the same for Warragul in the Gippsland League last year.
Ryde has played more than 100 Victorian Netball League games for Casey Demons and played for Melbourne Vixens in the inaugural Suncorp Super Netball season.
Bell, a former Australian Diamond, coaches the Panthers and plays alongside her in the goal circle.
Best on court went to goal defence Jess Haynes, who also won the league best and fairest this season and is returning to England.
Kilcunda Bass went through the home and away season 18-0 at a percentage of 168, then beat Cora Lynn 54-33 in the qualifying final to go straight into the decider.
Korumburra Bena came the long way and very nearly did not stop.
The Giants won last year's premiership, beating Nar Nar Goon 44-43, but finished fifth this season at 10-8.
From there they beat Nar Nar Goon 44-39, Tooradin-Dalmore 62-44 and minor premiers Cora Lynn 58-31 to get back, a fourth final on four straight weekends.
Mackenna Whiteside shot 25 for the Giants and Elisha Nicholas 16.
Korumburra Bena coach Kate Attenborough had no complaints about where the flag went.
"Kilcunda Bass, you have obviously set the standard from the first round. You've recruited really well," Attenborough said.
"To my beautiful girls, I am honestly in awe of everything that we've achieved together in the last three years. Do you know what the best thing about it is? We'll go around all together next year again."
Bell said the scoreline did not reflect the afternoon.
"Massive respect to Korumburra Bena. The score may not have shown it, but it was very hard out there against you," she said.
"Coming together for the first time for a lot of us as a team, we had a lot of work to do to get our connections," Bell said.
"A lot of us had said this season how much we wanted it to keep going because we were just enjoying our netball so much."
"I think it was 53 years in the making. We're thrilled for us, but mostly for the club."
Centre Kate Sidebottom followed her.
"Personally, I've never won one, so I am so excited about this," Sidebottom said.
"Lizzy summed it up a little bit on Thursday night at training when she started crying and saying, this is for the club, this is for the club."
Kira Hamilton played three quarters at wing attack, with Sidebottom going the distance at centre and Haynes at goal defence.
Jaime Quinn held goal keeper, with Cate Garlick, Tanita Bow and Megan Allen rotating through.
Allen came on for the final quarter after a long-term injury.
The Panthers did not drop a game all year, home and away or finals.
KILCUNDA BASS: Emma Ryde (GS), Erin Bell (GA, coach), Kira Hamilton (WA), Kate Sidebottom (C), Jess Haynes (GD), Jaime Quinn (GK), Cate Garlick, Tanita Bow, Megan Allen.
GOALS: Kilcunda Bass: E. Ryde 59, E. Bell 6. Korumburra Bena: M. Whiteside 25, E. Nicholas 16.
