Coach Trude Yen praised Newcastle's cohesiveness and a dogged determination to win as they shrugged off two years as runners-up to claim the NSW netball open championship crown in Maitland on Monday.
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Heading into the three-day carnival, hosted by Maitland Netball Association, Yen said playing 19 games would be as much a test of skill as it was endurance.
Newcastle topped the points standings heading into the third and final day of action, but only just.
They were on equal footing with Manly but first by goal difference and had no room for error with Maitland and Charlestown only one point behind the pace-setters.
But Newcastle won all six of their games on Monday to finish on top with 35 points while the teams around them dropped points.
In all, they won 17 matches, drew one and lost one to be two points clear of Manly (33) in second position. Maitland were third on 32 points, Callaghan District (26) fifth and Charlestown (24) sixth.
"We had some combinations in this team that were faultless," Yen said on Monday.
"They just worked so hard together. Today was a very telling day because it's the last day and two days in a row we've been on top of the ladder and it was about making the most of this opportunity.
"The girls were just so well-honed with each other that it didn't matter who I put on court at any particular time, they all just played like masters."
Newcastle last claimed the state crown in 2019. The 2020 titles were cancelled due to COVID.
To win after coming painstakingly close in the past two years felt "beyond words" for Yen.
"I really wasn't going to be happy with second, and the girls who have gone through the two years with me who are still in the team weren't happy to take on the second position either," Yen said.
"So we made sure the new players who came into the team this year, they knew exactly what we were wanting to achieve and how we were going to do it, and we were all on board right from the very first training session.
"They really had a competitive and strong will to win this year."
Newcastle's first ever men's team finished fifth in the male championship division.
Newcastle's 17s and 15s championship sides were both sixth.
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Renee Valentine
Renee Valentine is a sports journalist with more than 20 years of experience in Newcastle. She is passionate about increasing the visibility of sportswomen in the media. Got a sports story, email Renee at r.valentine@newcastleherald.com.au
Renee Valentine is a sports journalist with more than 20 years of experience in Newcastle. She is passionate about increasing the visibility of sportswomen in the media. Got a sports story, email Renee at r.valentine@newcastleherald.com.au
