Disappointments can be a blessing in disguise, as Mernda Netball Club is finding out this season.
The Demons started the Northern Netball League season in section 5 but found themselves in section 6 after losing all four grading games.
Since then they have won four matches and drawn another.
The 25-25 draw came on Friday night against Fitzroy Stars 3.
Captain-coach Dakota Craven said the side was initially disappointed at going down to section 6.
“It was a bit of a blow, coming down a grade,” Craven said.
She said the standard of competition they were facing seemed very similar to that faced the previous year in section 5.
“Since we have gone down we have played really well and are hoping to continue this for the rest of the year,” she said.
The Demons are in third place on the section 6 ladder.
Craven said her side was starting to gel well, with several new players joining in the off-season.
“Last year we had 10 players and a few of the girls couldn’t play on Friday nights,” she said. “We’ve had five new players join.
“We’ve been doing really well and starting to come together. The others teams are the same standard as we are. We are playing a lot better and it feels like it’s starting to flow a bit better.
“Since we have gone down we have not lost a game. We seem to be in the right division.”
After re-entering the competition last season, the Demons are looking at having at least two teams next season.
Craven and some of her teammates have been playing in a more casual setting in Darebin on Tuesday nights “with some of our friends” and Craven hopes some of these players will join the Demons’ Friday night set-up next season.
“It’s a six week competition and we thought we would jump in with it as a training session,” she said. “We are hoping Tuesday night girls want to join us and [then] we will easily have two teams next season.”
Thomastown 2 is on top of the ladder in Northern Netball League section 6 despite losing 26-24 to North Heidelberg 4. Thomastown’s top side lost 41-24 to Heat 2 in section 3. In section 1, Whittlesea Eagles and Bundoora Comets both lost.
