NETBALL success has followed Gisborne’s Ella Bertachinni wherever she has gone.
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The imposing goaler played in a premiership for Gippsland league club Sale in 2013, before winning back-to-back flags with Rosedale in the North Gippsland league in 2014-15.
While the Blues were unable to make it a hat-trick of flags in 2016, when beaten by one goal by Woodside, Bertachinni did finish the season as the league’s best and fairest.
The 23-year-old’s 2017 season – her first for Gisborne – was in many ways a new experience, mainly because it ended without a grand final berth.
It was a scenario Bertachinni was keen not to repeat and gladly avoided.
As she prepares for her fifth grand final appearance in six seasons, the Bulldogs star is feeling calm and quietly confident.
“We’ve probably towards the end of our season gotten better as a team and with getting our connections right,” she said.
“I think compared to last year we have got a new shooter (Clare Vearing) and gotten more used to each other.
“We’re in a good place right now.”
If the Bulldogs as a whole are in a good mental space, so too is Bertachinni, who has flourished since her move to goal attack earlier in the season.
The Boroondara Express VNL goaler flew home in the league’s Betty Thompson Medal count to poll 15 votes and record a fifth place finish behind winner and team-mate Maddy Stewart.
Like her team, she appears to be playing her best netball at the right time of the season.
We’ve probably towards the end of our season gotten better as a team and with getting our connections right.
- Ella Bertachinni
Bertachinni, who missed the Bulldogs’ three goal win against Sandhurst in round 14, but was back in the line-up for their 12 goal semi-final win a fortnight ago, could not have any more respect for the Dragons and nominated their young midcourter Meg Williams as a player they would have to keep extra tabs on.
“She’s a little weapon and a real force to be reckoned with,” she said.
.“The girls, who watched the (preliminary final) said she was in great form; she will be an integral part of the game as one of their main ball carriers.
“My feeling is it will be a very close game and will go down to the very last whistle.
“After the semi-final loss, they will throw it all on the line because they have nothing to lose, but we have nothing to lose either.
“It will be a physical match I’m sure, but I’m pumped.”
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