Saturday’s Orange Netball Association division two grand final is a pretty special occasion for the Life Studio M&D girls.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
M&D stands for mums and daughters, with the side boasting three mother-daughter combinations throughout the 2017 season.
Sue and Lucy Dean, Michelle and two thirds of her triplets, Hailey and Caitlin Prestwidge, along with Leigh Florence and daughter Georgia Cornish will get the chance to play for an ONA division two crown come 1.40pm on Saturday.
The Life Studio M&D girls take on the OHS Bandits for the chance to become 2017 champions, but both Sue Dean and Leigh Florence say simply making a grand final with their daughters is something to savour already.
“We’re just a group of young girls that said to their mums ‘can we play together’ ... and we said we better get on with it then,” Florence laughed.
“All of the adults, we played together previously lots of times, and now the girls are old enough to play women’s division and we thought it’d be a good time to do it,” Dean added.
Throw in Jo Locke, and young guns Bonnie Keegan and Megan Eslick, and the side is more than capable of winning the division two title, as they’ve shown this season.
They rose to the challenge.
- Life Studio M&D's Leigh Florence
Life Studio M&D, in the two games with OHS Bandits during the regular season, drew 29-29 before winning 39-36 in round 12.
The Bandits progressed first through to the decider after beating minor premiers CYMS Valley View by three in the major semi-final.
The M&D girls then knocked off CYMS in the preliminary final, winning 51-45 to book the final grand final berth.
“They didn’t start badly (this season) but they may have been a little overwhelmed at the start with the intensity,” Florence said of the young girls’ first foray into senior netball.
“But they rose to the challenge.
“We had the scope to improve. And we have just kept improving … well the kids have.”
“It’s been so much fun,” Dean said.
The first pass for Saturday’s ONA division two grand final will be at 1.40pm on court A at Sir Neville Howse Stadium.