New BFNL Life members reflect on netball journey
NEWEST life members of the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL, Nina Cass and Briona Giddings have racked up hundreds of goals, intercepts and matches across their remarkable stints in netball.
Both were inducted to a special club at the Michelsen-Thompson Medal night run last Sunday at Bendigo Club.
A playing stint of more than 300 matches for Cass started with Golden Square in 1992 and rolled on with Kangaroo Flat.
Cass was a triple premiership winning player for the Kangaroos.
A premiership-winning coach and long-time committee member for the Roos, Cass is rapt with the green and white’s on-going success on the netball court.
She will be courtside, along with many Roos fans as the club competes in three grand finals this Saturday at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
There have been many influences across Cass’ sporting career and many lasting friendships.
Among those to have played a big part were long-time coach Carol Bingham, Cath Wicks and Melinda Keighran.
It was basketball where Cass first excelled and she went on to play more than 100 games with the Bendigo Braves and also be part of the AIS program, WNBL and Australian under-21 team.
A trailblazer who crossed from basketball to netball, Cass was rapt to see the impact that Heather Olive, Gabe Richards and Lucy Spalding have had on the netball court.
Whether it be coaching, timekeeping or filling in the scoresheet, Cass is willing to chip in.
“I just love being involved and giving back to a club that has given me so much.”
Cass was also quizzed by awards MC Joel Peterson about the challenges of playing and coaching.
“It’s harder to coach than to play. As a player you can sometimes control what’s happening in a game, as a coach it’s not so easy.”
Across a long-time involvement with the Bendigo FNL, Cass has watched netball go from strength-to-strength.
“There are so many stars in the BFNL. To have many of the girls who represent Bendigo Strikers in the VNL is so great for the league.”
Cass said a reason so many are playing or involved with netball is purely a love for the game.
More than three decades after she first played for Golden Square, Nina Cass still provides plenty of energy and wisdom for netballers of all abilities and ages.
After initially deciding to play maybe a season or two with Sandhurst, Briona Giddings is still with the Dragons 20 years later.
The gun defender will be on court this Saturday for the B-reserve premiership showdown with Gisborne from 10.30am.
Another outstanding season for Giddings was capped by polling 31 votes to be runaway winner of the league’s fairest and best award.
It was her sixth league medal victory in a season where Giddings also played her 300th match for the maroon and blue.
“I thought I would play one more season. I did not expect this,” Giddings said after being presented with the medal.
A build-up to a grand final is nothing new for Giddings who has played in 15 grand finals across all senior grades in the Bendigo FNL for a tally of 10 premierships, five runner-up.
There is not a lot time spent thinking about the match as the mum of three is kept busy.
“The support from my family is amazing.”
After starting her netball journey with Newbridge, Giddings joined then Maroons’ team-mate Jannaya Webb in the switch to Sandhurst.
“The plan was to play a couple of years with Sandhurst and then go back to Newbridge,” said Giddings.
Year one was capped by the first leg in a premiership hat-trick in A-grade.
All these years later Giddings is at a club where there’s been plenty of individual and team success.
Best known for her defensive play, Giddings started as a goaler with Newbridge and also spent time in mid-court.
“Goal defence is a position I am most comfortable at. I will never play goalkeeper, though.”
It’s another big week for Sandhurst as four of five netball teams are in grand finals.
“The vibe is high around the club,” said Giddings.
In a career marked by so many highs she did not want to put one achievement above all.
“There have been lots of special moments.”
Giddings will not be the only league medallist chasing a premiership win on Saturday.
The Wicks name has featured at Kangaroo Flat for many seasons.
In 2025 it was Ella Wicks who polled 24 votes to earn the Jenni Holborn Medal as A-reserve fairest and best.
Runner-up was Strathfieldsaye’s Paynton Jolliffe on 22 votes.
A goal for Wicks is to add a premiership medal from Saturday’s clash with Sandhurst.
A skilful mid-courter, Wicks tore an ACL playing in A-grade two seasons ago.
“It was physically and mentally challenging,” she said of the fight to return to court.
“It was either have doubts about playing again, or hope to be able to play as did before I was injured.”
Wicks earnt the Carol Sing Medal as fairest and best in the league’s 17-and-under competition in the 2018 season.
The collection of medals in the Wicks home include a Michelsen Medal won by dad Ron in 1993.
The Carol Bingham medallist for B-grade, Gisborne’s Reese Sutton will on court against Kangaroo Flat.
In the medal race, Sutton scored 19 votes as Strathfieldsaye’s Lucy Spalding was runner-up on 17.
The medal was presented by Karly Bingham who was the Betty Thompson medallist in 2012 and daughter of Carol who coached Kangaroo Flat in 598 matches and won nine premierships.
Carol Bingham is in the Bendigo FNL Hall of Fame.
A big year for Sutton included a grand final on the footy field with North Melbourne in VFLW.
Adjudged Bendigo’s best in the 17-under netball representative program, Sandhurst defender Lara Kelly will be in Saturday’s grand final against Strathfieldsaye Storm.
One of many young guns at Sandhurst FNC, Claire McGee earnt the Bart ‘n Print Rising Star award.
McGee will play in the A-reserve grand final against Kangaroo Flat.
Her A-grade debut in the 11th round at Kangaroo Flat caught the umpires’ attention as McGee earnt two votes in the Betty Thompson Medal race.
The Carol Sing medallist for fairest and best in the 17-and-under competition was Gisborne’s Holly Brewer on 27 votes.
A hectic year for Brewer included playing for Gisborne Rookies where she also won a league fairest and best award.
Brewer took to the presentation dais with her right wrist still in a brace after breaking it against Strathfieldsaye Storm.
A tally of 21 votes for Castlemaine’s Rosie Jarvis earnt runner-up honours for the Carol Sing Medal.
This season’s Coffee Storm netball goalscoring award went Kangaroo Flat’s way on 4163 goals.
