General News
22 August, 2025
Saints and Kalkee ready for finals
Edenhope Aspley and Kalkee will play for the chance to take on Rupanyup next week for a spot in the grand final when the two sides meet at Dock Lake Recreation Reserve this Saturday in A grade netball’s qualifying final in the Horsham District Football Netball League.
Little separated the two sides in the regular season, both finishing with 12 wins and four losses, with a slightly higher percentage seeing Edenhope Aspley finish above Kalkee.
Lavinia Fox, coach of Edenhope Aspley, says finishing the regular season second was a great result for the team and she's keen for the team to experience finals netball.
“Our goal was always to make finals and I didn't really know how we would do this year,” Fox said.
“Last year we finished fifth and just managed to get in there and I thought if we could break even with last year I'd be happy with my first year of coaching, but we finished second so I'm absolutely stoked.”
In their one matchup in 2025, Kalkee prevailed 48-44 against Edenhope Apsley in a game where the Saints were missing multiple players, including Hayley Campbell, Jasmin McIntyre and Rebecca Heath.
Despite the side’s loss in that game, Fox said the team’s effort to make it a close game with their injuries reflected her side’s spirit.
“Kalkee in the rounds, we had a lot of our girls out, we were playing with two girls who were more consistent in the B grade and they were filling in for us, and we managed to pull our way back into that game,” Fox said.
“We didn't win but we showed that we have that fight.”
Both teams have demonstrated great form in the back half of the season.
Since the round 10 clash between the sides, Edenhope Apsley had only one loss, a 47-46 nailbiter to top-placed Rupanyup, while Kalkee suffered just one defeat themselves, a 57-33 loss to Laharum where they were missing several players.
With Edenhope Apsley at full strength for Saturday and the knowledge they’ve continued to build through the season, Fox is confident ahead of Saturday but acknowledges that Kalkee have plenty of firepower in their squad.
“They’ve got some great talent in their team,” Fox said.
“Lotus Martin, their keeper, she’s one we will have to be prepared for.
“Also, her sister (Jarrah), she’s a fantastic goal shooter, very dynamic, very athletic.
“Their midcourt, they’ve got some juniors coming through and when we played them in the rounds I thought they were a very fit bunch.
“With our full team in we will look a lot different.
“We will be stronger in the midcourt with Hayley Campbell in the side and Olivia (Spence) and Bec (Heath) who were out with injury when we last played.”
Kalkee coach Paula Weidermann said her team had improved since they played the Saints and were ready for finals netball.
“They’re a quality side and we know finals is a whole new ball game,” Weidermann said.
“Since our previous encounter we’ve built stronger connections across the court and lifted our intensity.
“Focus for this weekend will be just tidying on a few areas that we lapsed in from the previous game.
“Otherwise, the girls are motivated and determined for the intensity finals can bring.”
The Kalkee coach said her side’s ability to play connected would be crucial to their progression through the finals.
“We know finals success comes from all seven on court and the depth across the bench,” Weidermann said.
“Everyone has a role to play, whether it’s creating turnovers, feeding the circle or putting the shots up.
“It’s the way we connect as a unit that makes us strong, and that collective effort will be what carries us through the finals.”
One matchup to watch will be the contest between Saints goalshooter Dee Dee Lambert, one of the league’s top shooters since entering the competition midseason, and Kalkee goalkeeper Lotus Martin, who has the height and instincts to challenge Lambert in the goal circle.
The loser of this game will take on the winner of Sunday’s elimination final.
Read More: Edenhope