Sport
3 July, 2026
MCDFNL Round 12 Netball Preview Maryborough Giants v Talbot
Since its formation at the end of the 2023 season, the Maryborough Giants have enjoyed incredible success on the netball court, including back-to-back top four finishes in their first two A grade home and away seasons.
However, their remarkable feats have been marred by a constant kryptonite that has poisoned their promising campaigns.
Its name is Talbot.
After finishing its first A grade match as a club with a 66-29 victory over Talbot, Maryborough ended its inaugural season with a 14-2 record before being knocked out of finals in straight sets courtesy of the Hawks in a memorable semi-final.
As fate would have it, the Giants had the chance to make amends the following year, but the 2025 semi-final sequel proved equally fruitful as the original for Talbot, advancing to the preliminary final after an instant classic.
Now midway through the 2026 home and away season, Talbot and Maryborough will once again play starring roles in their rival’s destiny as they meet in a round 12 encounter certain to alter the finals race dramatically.
Thanks to Talbot’s dominant victory over Newstead and Maryborough’s nail-biting win over Campbells Creek, both teams currently boast 20 points. However, due to their superior percentage, the Hawks are currently in seventh while the Giants sit just outside the top eight in ninth.
Macey Parry, Maddison Smith and Laura McStravick would love nothing more than to cement Maryborough’s finals aspirations by eliminating the ghosts of seasons past, but Jane Dikini, Melissa Scott, Loren Aquilina and Tina Wardlaw will be a tough test at the Maryborough Netball Association.