BY NATHAN DOLE
KANGAROO Flat’s gun centre Chelsea Sartori has netted consecutive Betty Thompson Medal wins as fairest and best in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL’s A-grade netball competition.
Sartori won a closely-fought race for the prestigious honour at Sunday night’s vote count and awards presentation at Bendigo Club in Strathdale.
The Kangaroos’ star polled 20 votes to become the eighth multiple winner of the medal and the first to achieve back-to-back wins since Sandhurst’s Kris Greene in 2002-13.
Runner-up was Gisborne’s Maddy Stewart, also a dual winner of the medal, on 18 votes.
The dynamic duo will be opponents next Saturday when Kangaroo Flat and Gisborne meet in the grand final.
In Sunday night’s calling of the vote cards by Kylie Ellis it was Strathfieldsaye’s Brooke Mangan who led on eight votes after six rounds.
By the 12th round it was Sartori who had grabbed the lead on 13 votes from Brooke Mangan, 10; and top defenders Charlee Kemp from Gisborne and Ruby Turner from Sandhurst on nine votes.
Best on court in the 13th round raised Sartori’s tally to 16 as Stewart made her way up the tally board on 12.
The maximum three votes in the 16th round meant Sartori could not be caught.
Stewart was best on court for Gisborne in the 17th and 18th rounds.
The third placegetter was Sandhurst’s young mid-courter Shae Clifford on 15 votes.
A dual premiership player with the Kangaroos, Sartori will be striving for a third victory.
“It’s a massive honour to win the Betty Thompson Medal again. I was not too confident about my chances.
“This is a special award.”
Sartori said the work of all her team-mates and coach Jayden Cowling had put the team in a position to challenge for another premiership.
“We bring the best out in each other.”
The Kangaroos marked their best win of ’24 in Saturday’s preliminary final against Sandhurst.
“We had not beaten Sandhurst in a final for eight years.
“There was a lot of emotion during and after the game.
“There is massive belief within the group that our best is good enough to win the premiership.”
A big year for Sartori included representing Bendigo Strikers in the club’s debut season in the Victorian Netball League’s championship division.
“It was extremely special to be playing for the Strikers.”
Sartori said Kangaroo Flat had a core group which had played many matches together.
“Sandhurst and Gisborne are similar to us.”
The mid-court ace said Jayden Cowling was an outstanding coach.
“He changed the culture at the club in such a positive way.”
Among the many highlights of Sunday’s event were life membership awarded to South Bendigo’s Alicia McGlashan and Kangaroo Flat’s Karly Bingham who joined the league’s “300 Game Club”.
Leading votes for the Betty Thompson Medal:
20 Chelsea Sartori, Kangaroo Flat.
18 Maddy Stewart, Gisborne.
15 Shae Clifford, Sandhurst.
14 Ashley Ryan, Kangaroo Flat.
14 Ruby Turner, Sandhurst.
13 Brooke Mangan, Strathfieldsaye.
13 Amy Ryan, Eaglehawk.
12 Heather Oliver, Sandhurst.
11 Elley Lawton, Eaglehawk.
11 Bec Smith, Sandhurst.
10 Kirby Elliott, Gisborne.
9 Charlee Kemp, Gisborne.
9 Emerson Lakey, Gisborne.
9 Claudia Mawson, Gisborne.
8 Milly Wicks, Kangaroo Flat.
7 Ingrid Hopkins, Kangaroo Flat.
7 Torie Skrijel, Gisborne.
7 Meg Williams, Sandhurst.
Sunday night’s function included presentations to the winners of all other grades of netball following the vote counts done last Monday night on Radio Fresh fm 101.5 and streamed on Facebook.
The Bendigo FNL’s netball award winners for the 2024 season:
Bart ‘n Print Rising Star: Dasha Taylor, Gisborne.
Best in the netball representative programs were South Bendigo’s Alicia McGlashan, open; and Golden Square’s Holly Swatton, 17-and-under.
Jenni Holborn Medal A-reserve: Emma Moroney, Kangaroo Flat, and Lucy Spalding, Strathfieldsaye. Joint runners-up were South Bendigo’s Ashlee O’Shea and Sandhurst’s Paige Ryan.
Carol Bingham Medal, B-grade: Shae Denahy. Runner-up: Emma Joyce, Gisborne.
B-reserve best and fairest: Taylah Ranieri, Gisborne. Runner-up: Neve Pinner, Sandhurst.
Carol Sing Medal, 17-and-under:
The Coffee Storm champion netball goalshooting award went to Sandhurst on 4618 goals.