AFTER suffering two losses from its last three games, Hamilton Kangaroos has regained its winning formula against Terang-Mortlake, 69-43, at Pedrina Park on Saturday in the Hampden Football Netball League Open grade.

The Roos knew that defence was going to be the key against the Bloods who had posted the third-highest number of goals for the season in the competition, such is their attacking brilliance.

With only seven players from the Open squad available for selection, the home side was going to have to use its bench wisely as Leesa Iredell and Madsie Phillips were missing.

Hayley Sherlock returned to the team after sitting out the last two games through injury and the champion GA stepped straight back into the goal circle as if she never missed a minute.

The first quarter saw the home side open a seven-point gap by the time the siren sounded due to the backs creating turnover ball which led the mid court players getting quick ball into the goalers.

The second term was more of the same as the Roos took total control of the game through a determined back court that refused to allow the Bloods easy avenues to goal.

By the sounding of the halftime siren, the home side had opened a nine-goal gap on their opponents and from there the Roos lifted their intensity to score 37 goals in the second half and win going away.

Danielle Van Kalken and Sherlock were voted as best on court for the Hamilton Kangaroos while Jacqui Arundell, Johanna Glennen and Sharni Moloney did their utmost to stem the Roos flow for Terang-Mortlake.

The victory leaves Hamilton Kangaroos in fourth place on the ladder only two points behind Koroit and six points clear of North Warrnambool with a road trip to Camperdown ahead this coming weekend.

Division 1

JUST like the Open grade team, Hamilton Kangaroos division one side entered its game with Terang-Mortlake having lost two of the last three games and needing to register victory to halt a slide down the ladder.

At the start of the game, the Bloods were only a win behind the Roos on the ladder, but a dominant first half saw the home side open a 10-goal lead at the long break and despite losing the third quarter to their visitors, the Roos regathered their composure in the final term to run out winners, 43-29, with Kelsey Lewis, Rhianne Lewis and Michayla McRae starring for the home side.

Division 2

HAMILTON Kangaroos suffered only its second defeat of the season as Terang-Mortlake applied great four quarter pressure to defeat the favourites, 36-30.

Maddie Rhook, Bailey Ryan and Tahlia Ross did all they could in the face of the Bloods onslaught, but the visitors were too good on the day.

Division 3

BOTH Hamilton Kangaroos and Terang-Mortlake have retained undefeated status as the top two teams of the division three competition drew, 29-29 on Saturday.

In a thrilling game, both teams needed to play catch-up netball as the opponents took the lead throughout the third and fourth quarters but couldn’t be separated when that final siren sounded.

We may well have seen a prelude to the grand final later in the year.

17-and-Under

THE home side took the game right up to its more favoured opponents but fell just short in going down 21-29 with Mimi Chun, Phoebe Dunn and Grace Cleaver doing best for Hamilton Kangaroos.

15-and-Under

HAMILTON Kangaroos was thoroughly outclassed by a well-drilled, ladder leading, undefeated Terang-Mortlake, 7-33 with Skye Kissel, Isabella Malseed and Saskia Gould giving their all in a well-beaten team.

13-and-Under

THE littlest Hamilton Kangaroos gave the home side a winning start to Saturday with a 10-goal victory against Terang-Mortlake at Pedrina Park, 27-17.

Molly Sevior, Georgia Taylor and Ruby Spong were on song along with the rest of the Roos unit to open a four-point gap on the Bloods on the premiership ladder and maintain second place.