ANA 2025: Royals too strong for outgunned Magpies and now face clash with Narrikup for A1 grand final spot

Royal Saints 1 brought the Magpies’ season to a close with a comfortable win in their Albany Netball Association A1 elimination final at the Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre on Saturday. Their 60-41 triumph earns them a winner-takes-all preliminary final against minor premiers Narrikup 1, who lost their top-two shoot-out with Kangas 1. The pair meet on September 13, with the winners tackling Kangas in the grand final the following week. Magpies were outgunned but gave it their all in a campaign where even their participation was in doubt, according to coach Rosemary Wolter. “I’m so proud of the girls, especially as we didn’t even know if we could run an A1 team at the beginning of the season,” she said. “We came together to make the final four; the juniors stepped up into A1, and the A2 players stepped up too. “We have achieved our goals, and they gave their all against Royals.” It was a scrappy contest but evenly fought in the initial stages of the first quarter, in which Magpies competed well and Royals took time to find their range in the attacking circle. Once they did, however, they let rip with seven goals in a row to go into the first break 19-10 up. The Royals’ mid-court players got into the action in the second quarter, making it hard for Magpies to play out and converting interceptions into goals for a 34-18 half-time lead. Wolter shuffled goal attack Lauren Bracewell into defence to stem the tide but Royals were in control, reaching three-quarter-time 44-28 ahead and stretching the lead to 19 by the final whistle. Royals coach Carly Szczecinski said her shooters were the difference between the sides. “They shot really well but we were also ruthless in defence,” she said. “They kept their cool in a very difficult game. “We knew they were very tall in attack and very smart, but we had a strong drive through the centre of the court to maintain control.” Royals inflicted minor premiers Narrikup’s only defeat of the regular season and will be confident when they face them at 1.20pm on Saturday.