The 2023 Association Championships officially began on Sunday. The Central East 15&U and 17&Under and Northern qualifying days kickstarted this year’s competition.
The Championships are the first step in the Netball Victoria pathway for athletes, where up-and-coming netballers from regional and metropolitan areas are recognised for their skills and potential. It is also a chance for aspiring coaches to hone their craft, and an opportunity for umpires and officials to continue on their pathway to high performance.
Outer East Football Netball League claimed two of the four divisions on offer in the Central East Association Championships, including a nail-biting one-goal win against Whitehorse Netball Association in the 15&U Championship division. Whitehorse didn’t walk away empty-handed, winning the 15&U Reserve division by three goals.
There were a flurry of tight finishes in the Northern Association Championships, with the winning margins of three matches kept to no more than two goals. Echuca & District Netball Association claimed the narrowest victory in the 13&U Reserve division, defeating Deniliquin Netball Association by a single goal. In the 15&U Championship division, Sunraysia Football Netball League walked away with a two-goal win against Wimmera Football Netball League, while Castlemaine District Netball Association ended up on top in the 17&U Reserve division, holding off a valiant Echuca & District NA outfit to win 11–9.
Two more qualifying weekends will take place across the coming weeks, with the tournaments culminating in the Association Championships Finals day to be held on Sunday 18 June at the State Netball Centre in Parkville.
RESULTS
Central
15&Under Championship: Outer East FNL (14) def Whitehorse NA (13)
15&Under Reserve: Whitehorse NA (15) def Casey NA (12)
17&Under Championship: Outer East FNL (15) def Melbourne East NA (9)
17&Under Reserve: Caulfield & District NA (11) def Sandringham & District NA (8)
Northern
13&Under Championship: Bendigo Strathdale NA (19) def Wimmera FNL (11)
13&Under Reserve: Echuca & District NA (9) def Deniliquin NA (8)
15&Under Championship: Sunraysia FNL (12) def Wimmera FNL (10)
15&Under Reserve: Deniliquin NA (16) def Castlemaine District NA (9)
17&Under Championship: Bendigo FNL (19) def Central Murray NL (10)
17&Under Reserve: Castlemaine District NA (11) def Echuca & District NA (9)
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