By Marcus Uhe
The triumphant 2013 Pakenham A-Grade netball side celebrated its 10-year premiership anniversary on Saturday afternoon before the current generation’s opening fixture against Narre Warren.
All but one player was able to attend the function as they reflected on the remarkable rise to premiership glory in the then Casey Cardinia Football Netball League, reliving the day with a highlights video and reconnecting over lunch.
A difficult season the year before saw Jessica Cardona and other members of the committee undertake a staunch recruiting drive to bring players back to the club and restore it to the heights where it belonged.
An overtime semi-final win in the September heat saw the Lions pushed to their limits, but they managed to get the better of Beaconsfield and then Berwick the following week, to qualify for a grand final at home against a Narre Warren side brimming with Victorian Netball League talent.
A raucous home crowd at Toomuc Reserve roared with every goal and interception, providing the extra assistance to get the Lions over the line by eight goals and write their name into Pakenham Netball Club folklore.
Premiership captain Michelle Webster said the “incredible” atmosphere of the crowd and the way the entire club rallied behind the netball side were her most vivid memories of the conquest.
“The big thing was that our B-Grade squad, who weren’t in finals any longer, came to those training sessions and so we had someone to have match practice against,” Webster said.
“They trained hard, they supported us and we couldn’t have gotten to where we did without that.
“I think once we got through (the semi final), we thought ‘we can actually give this a good shake’.
“To be honest, (the grand final) is a bit of a blur.
“You just go through the motions and try to remember everything that you do at training.
“We had a big crowd during that time, but there was so much support with cousins and brothers and sisters and all those kinds of people.”
Having banded together in a time of need for the club, and with many returning from time away for various reasons, it was confluence of factors that led to them fulfilling their destiny on 21 September 2013.
“It was really special being at home,” Webster said.
“I think I lost 11 senior grand finals personally before I played in that one, so going back to those games that Nicole spoke about where we would get flogged by Beaconsfield continually, it was meant to be.
“We’re a tight group. It goes back to that old cliché of ‘a champion team can beat a team of champions.’”
While it is rare for the group to regather in person, Webster said the group remains connected, as they were during the successful year itself.
“We have a group chat that we all keep in touch with but it’s really nice to be able to sit back and reflect,” she said.
“I never realised until Jess (Cardona) spoke today how much it meant to her, and my mum’s here on the life member’s table.
“She won an A-grade premiership when she was 18 for Pakenham, and my grandma’s a life member.
“You don’t actually realise how much it meant to (not only) the squad of 10, but everyone connected as well.
“It’s nice to feel that you actually gave them a bit of joy and something exciting as well.
“As everyone has said all day, we are all really good friends, and the best part of the celebrations is being together.
“You see some of the footage, we had Mad Monday at Purves, we went into the city for Silly Sunday and you celebrate for three days, relive the game, all that kind of stuff.“
In addition to the premiership reunion, the club’s first ever life member Maureen Magrath was recognised for her 60 years of life membership to the club that’s been such a significant part of her life.
Magrath has served in nearly every role for the club, from playing, coaching, umpiring and preparing team meals for the footballers.
“I lived opposite the courts,” Magrath said.
“My father did the first court where the fire brigade running track is, he came and dug it out and put lime there to make out edges.
“We started off the juniors; my daughter played, I played and my son played footy, so we used to go for the footy and netball. You were a family.”
The recognition was kept a surprise from Magrath, who was overwhelmed with the effort the club went to for her, having organised a bouquet of flowers and custom decorated cupcakes with her name on them.
While no longer involved in an official capacity, the club will always hold a special place in her heart.
“I think the friendships you make,” she said.
“We made grand finals, I can’t remember the years but we won it.
“I think it continues on to these people (in the room).
“They don’t know who I am but their grandmothers tell their kids ‘that’s Browny’.
“You recognise that with humility, and people don’t really understand the context of friendship. ”
“It’s a friendship that should never die, because sport is the one thing that brings people together.”
