South West netballers and umpires shine at Origin State Cup tournament

In the midst of tough competition in Perth, the South West representative netball teams have walked away from a recent tournament with their heads held high.

A collective of the South West’s finest netballers and umpires made the trip to Perth to compete and officiate the 2022 Origin State Cup, which took place at the Gold Netball Centre in Perth last weekend.

After players took part in the South West Regional Academy earlier in the year, players from across the region were selected to represent in three age groups — 20 and under, 16 and under and 14 and under.

Bunbury and Busselton were the South West towns that had the most representation with 10 athletes across the three teams, followed by Eaton and Leschenault with five each, and Bridgetown and Collie with three each.

The 20-and-under team faced some tough competition throughout the three-day tournament, ultimately finishing in 11th place from as many teams.

The 16-and-under team put on solid performances throughout the competition, finishing in fifth place from 14 teams.

The 14-and-under team managed some success during the tournament, finishing in third place out of 12 teams in their age division.

In the midst of the tournament, several of the South West’s best netball umpires managed huge achievements, with Ava Simpson, Maizie Brown, Bailey Harkness and Alana Harris obtaining their National B badges.

The Netball WA State Cup is set to provide the opportunity for players, coaches and umpires across the State to compete against each other and acts as a selection point for them to progress to the next level of programs and pathways.

The inaugural State Cup took place in 2019, which saw the South West make a grand final appearance in the 12-and-under age division.