Sport
5 May, 2026
Natte overcome adversity to conquer Trentham
Natte Bealiba came out firing following their round three bye, earning a convincing 73-18 win over a reinvigorated Trentham team.
The dominant 55-goal victory did come at a major cost for the Swans, as sharpshooter Emma Ryan went down with an injury during the first quarter and didn’t return.
A silver lining to Ryan’s misfortune was that it opened the door for one of Natte’s most exciting prospects, Chelsea Ross, to sparkle on her A grade debut.
The teenager finished with 30 goals as strong defensive performances from Ellie Martin and Naomi Medlyn ensured Natte took care of business without their superstar.
Fresh off an enthralling comeback against Newstead on Anzac Day, the Saints were determined to challenge the Swans at CHS Broadbent Oval despite being without co-captain Madelyne Brennan. Ebony Clark was called up in her place.
Keen to maintain the elite level they displayed before their bye, Natte Bealiba went on a devastating scoring spree that quickly created a double-digit margin between the two teams.
The Saints attempted to make some defensive adjustments throughout the first quarter, but the Swans’ offence was firing on all cylinders.
Ryan in particular showcased her typically top-notch shooting touch with 21 goals before her untimely injury late in the term forced Natte to scramble to solve their sudden shooting conundrum.
Midcourt linchpin Ella Tranter stepped in for Ryan to conclude the first quarter with Natte in a dominant position up 26-4 before Chelsea Ross was called upon to start the second quarter.
Even with her team’s healthy advantage, it was a baptism of fire for the young shooter, immediately marked by former Nalder Tracey Trophy winner Jessica Walker.
Despite the circumstances, Chelsea Ross played like she was in her 100th game at the A grade level, making an immediate impact for the Swans alongside Sian Mortlock.
The midcourt trio of Tranter, Ebony Raven and Chloe Ross assisted Natte’s new shooting tandem with elite intensity on both sides of the court and pinpoint passes into the goal circle.
Trailing by 33 goals at half time, Trentham elected to reshuffle its lineup.
After a second-quarter stint at goal attack, Amy Vandenham provided a massive boost to the Saints’ defensive third after her move to wing defence.
Waker, Clark and Kerrie Brennan also stepped up in the second half as Trentham limited their opponents to 11 third-quarter goals.
Chelsea Ross and Sian Mortlock managed to break their third-term shooting shackles in the fourth quarter, finishing with 30 and 22 goals respectively to cap off a comfortable victory.
Martin and Medlyn were outstanding patrolling Natte’s defence for the entire 60 minutes, holding Trentham to six goals or less in every quarter.
Sharna Ford was the Saints’ top scorer with 13 goals, while Charli Copeland and Vandenham added four and one respectively.