Gisborne star Maddy Stewart speaks on the Bulldogs' BFNL A-grade netball round two win over Sandhurst and her return to the BFNL.
The Bulldogs won 42-38.
The Bulldogs won 42-38.
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00:00 We've been joined by Maddy Stewart from Gisborne who is back in the BFL after a year off.
00:07 How was the first hit out?
00:08 Yeah, it was awesome. It was nice to be back.
00:10 I think, I mean, we started the way that the girls finished the last season.
00:13 We came out really hard, which was what we set out to do.
00:16 We know Stenberg's always going to keep coming back, but an awesome first half.
00:21 They definitely took us 12th in the second half and probably took us off our game,
00:24 so credit to them for that, but happy with the win, so nice start to the season.
00:28 A six goal win, you take that any time against Sandhurst?
00:31 Yeah, I can't remember the last time I beat Sandhurst, so the girls obviously won last year,
00:35 but yeah, so it's nice.
00:37 They've set the benchmark for the last four or five years,
00:40 so they're always going to come out hard, whatever combos they've got there on the day,
00:43 but no, awesome. We definitely take that, a six goal win against Sandhurst.
00:47 And even though you were away last year, you did make it back to the grand final day.
00:50 How was it sitting on the sidelines?
00:53 Oh my gosh, it's so much worse on the sidelines.
00:55 No, it was amazing. It was probably one of the best games on the netball that I've won,
00:59 that I've played in, and for the girls to come out and win like that, it was amazing.
01:02 I think we've probably been building for the last few years, but things worked on the day
01:06 and it was an amazing game, so I got back to the party, which was fun,
01:09 but it's hard on the sidelines.
01:12 Have you been amazed by the transition of some of your players, the way they've developed?
01:15 Yeah, I think so. I think probably the likes of Emerson Lakey,
01:19 who's played an awesome game in the granny last year, but also stood out up there today.
01:23 I think she's really stepped up and probably taken her netball to another level.
01:27 And then you always look at Tori, she was a little baby under 17 when I left,
01:31 and her year last year was amazing, and then her and Clouds have come straight out today
01:35 and had that connection as if they haven't had six months off playing with each other.
01:39 So, definitely.
01:41 What does the season hold for the Bulldogs, do you think?
01:43 Yeah, well, I mean, it's one week at a time.
01:45 Obviously, we know where we want to be at the end of the season,
01:48 but I think it's really good to come out and play a game like Sandhurst straight up,
01:52 because you know where you're at.
01:54 They've obviously still got Meg and Emi to come back, we've got Dash to come back anyway,
01:58 but we know where we want to be.
02:00 But I think it's just a lot of development, giving girls opportunities as well,
02:03 but pushing all the way out from 17, so the growth of the girls to keep coming through.
02:07 And obviously, full credit to Sandhurst, that was a great fight back in the second half.
02:10 Yeah, they never give up. They're an amazing bunch of girls,
02:13 and whoever's on the court on the day, they coach well,
02:16 and they've got a lot of grit and a lot of fight.
02:18 So, you can't take the foot off the pedal against Sandhurst like we did,
02:21 but it was nice that we could grind it out in the end.
02:23 Well, it's great to see you back on the court, and we wish you all the best for the season ahead.
02:26 Perfect, thank you.