Teammates one week, opponents the next for a pair of young stars

ROC's Amelia Pryor (left) and Narre Warren's Tahlia Leary played together for Victoria at the recent School Sport Australia Netball championships. 362378 Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

By Marcus Uhe

Saturday’s Outer East Under 13 Blue Netball grand final featured a pair of rising Victorian netball stars at both ends of the court.

Fresh off a week in Perth for the School Sport Australia Netball championships as members of the successful Victorian 12 Years and Under squad, Tahlia Leary and Amelia Pryor took to the court for Narre Warren and ROC respectively.

The pair held down the defensive goal circle for Victoria in the national championships as their team went undefeated in the 14-game round robin competition to claim the national prize between 10-15 September, before going head-to-head at Officer Recreation Reserve.

The two never crossed paths on the court, with both playing defensive positions for their team, as Pryor’s ROC claimed the win 31-26.

But Leary did not walk-away empty handed, judged the best player on the court in the loss.

It culminated a big week for Leary, the captain of her Narre Warren side, who won the league best and fairest on Wednesday 20 September with 23 votes, three ahead of Pryor in second place on 20 votes.