The Nita McGrath Courts were overflowing with talent all weekend as local competition was followed by the annual Dubbo Netball Association’s representative carnival.
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By the end of the competition on Sunday, in which close to 60 regionally-based teams from all over took part, it was the powerful Nyngan Harpil team which was victories in the premier Division A, beating the likes of the Dubbo opens and Dubbo 17s.
“The carnival went really well and we had 58 teams which was really good,” Dubbo Netball Association president Karen Parker said.
“We had eight divisions from 10s to opens and it was a high standard all day. Nyngan Harpil took out the opens and the team was made up of most of Nyngan’s State League side from earlier in the year.
“But it was a great day and we were really pleased to see so many teams travel to attend our carnival.”
As well as local Dubbo, Narromine and Nyngan sides, teams came from other western centres like Mudgee, Orange, Bathurst, Blayney, Cowra Coonamble and Coonabarabran as well as further afield from places such as Scone.
“Most of the divisions were won by representative sides, either from Dubbo or visiting places,” Parker said.
The strength of another representative carnival, coupled with the booming local competition, is further proof of the health of the sport at Dubbo.
Record teams are taking part in the Rawson Homes Premiership in 2017 and while delighted, Parker confessed a time is going to come in the very near future when the Nita McGrath Courts need to be upgraded.
“It’s a fantastic facility but our only problem is we’re growing at the moment and our facilities need to match that,” she said.
Parker added in an ideal world Dubbo would have a state-of-the-art indoor facility for premier matches and representative carnivals to be played on.
“This year our senior divisions are already playing on grass courts because of the record numbers so we need to look at expansion or at least upgrading.
“If we’re to continue growing at this rate we’ll outgrow what we have. We also have 17 teams playing in the mornings in the under 8s, their our future, and that’s the biggest number I can remember.”
In terms of the local competition on Saturday, A Grade frontrunners Fusions Heat and Fusions Johnies both won again.
Fusions Heat, with its mix of youth and experience, defeated the Narromine Bombers 68-36 while Fusions Johnies edged past Fusions Fire 44-25.
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
