ANA 2024: Clutch display from Humphries, Foggin lifts Royals Saints to famous A1 grand final win over Bullets

Royals Saints 1’s supreme reign in the Albany Netball Association A1 competition has continued after claiming a premiership three-peat and their fifth title in eight years. The Saints were composed in frantic situations and under immense pressure from their opponents Bullets 1 in a high-octane grand final on Saturday afternoon. However, the Saints’ two stars at either end of the court with sharpshooter Jazelle Foggin and defensive pillar Narelle Humphries proved the difference between the two sides. The pair were named joint winners of the Lucille Holt Memorial Award for their extremely influential games in the 53-46 triumph. Humphries was enormous against Bullets star shooter Emily Gadean, with ravenous defence forcing highly contested shots and resulting in turnovers while at the other end Foggin shot the lights out in the stellar seven-goal victory. Despite the Saints’ poise, the Bullets failed to surrender, remaining in touching distance for the entire game and leading at the first change. It was an old-fashioned shoot out with Gadean missing just one of her 13 shots in the opener while Foggin hit 12 of her first 13 shots. Bullets were slow and calculated with their ball movement, starting with rebounding defender Rachel Adams at goal defender, and led by a single goal at the opening break. Foggin continued her impressive shooting form in the second with 10 straight goals while Humphries really began to impose herself on the game. The athletic defender was pivotal in restricting Gadean’s influence, the shooter managing just nine goals from her 15 attempts as the Saints snatched a four-goal lead by the main break. The third was strewn with turnovers as both sides were seemingly engaged in a frenetic game of aerial ping pong. But Saints captain Summer Stirling stood up in the hectic quarter as the Saints led by as much as eight goals before a hot final minute from Gadean reduced the margin back to five heading into the final whistle. With their grand final dreams hanging by a thread, Bullets had every answer for the Saints, the two trading blows for most of the last. But Foggin flexed her muscles again hitting nine straight goals to help her side claw to a memorable victory. Rebecca Goodliffe provided plenty all game at wing attack for the Saints and Sophie Loveridge was a livewire at centre. Claire Holliday was tasked with defending Foggin and was brilliant in passages while Jo-anne Scott was prolific at wing attack with stints at goal attack with a busy Courtney Gardner.