Netball
23 November, 2025
Ross credits Rupanyup for stellar season
Holly Ross continued an already outstanding year of netball by taking out Rupanyup’s best and fairest award for A grade netball.
Ross, who joined the club after playing for Pimpinio in 2024, said she was thankful to take out the club’s best and fairest award after the club welcomed her for the 2025 season.
“The last couple of years I've played at different clubs, and Rupanyup were really welcoming and supportive when I came on board,” Ross said.
“So, taking out the best and fairest made it all so much more important to me because it felt like I had made them proud as a club, and they had seen how much effort I'd put into the season.
“I’m really, really grateful.”
Playing at either goal or wing defence throughout the season, Ross was integral to a strong Panthers defence that helped the club claim its first-ever A grade premiership in the Horsham District Football Netball League.
This was demonstrated league-wide as Ross finished equal fourth in the league’s best and fairest vote count.
But while Ross is appreciative of the individual accolades, taking out the premiership was above all else.
“It was definitely a better feeling than the best and fairest; the premiership definitely overtakes that feeling,” Ross said.
“The whole season was exciting because I knew I was coming into a really good team with a bunch of really fit girls.
“Every game that we played showed how much effort we'd put in to get closer to that top spot and to take it out at the end was a surreal moment because we all had our doubts, but we knew in the end that if we just believed, we'd get there.”
Based in Geelong and unable to regularly attend training, Ross praised the team for making it easy for her to slot into the team.
“I live in Geelong, so I was travelling down every weekend to play,” Ross said.
“I think the best thing that the club and the girls gave me was being accepting of me playing in their team every week, even though I wasn't at all the trainings.
“We all just gelled really well together, and it felt really good to be in a team that felt easy to play in.
“Georgia [Hiscock] was a really good coach for us this year and was really good with the constructive criticism to help us improve.”
With Ross taking out the A grade best and fairest, Georgia Hiscock and Victoria Taylor were runners-up; Taylor also took out the coach’s award.
In the senior football, Daniel Weetra was awarded the best and fairest, while Ryan Timmins and Elliot Kelly were runners-up; Kade Bergen took out the coach's award.
Other football awards:
Reserves best and fairest: Matt Weidemann, runners up: Jakob Davis and Archie McQueen; coach's award: Nash Field.
Under 17s best and fairest: Hugh Weidemann, runners up: Riley Downer and Sid Kingston; coach's award: Max Finnigan.
Under 14s best and fairest: Thomas Sudholz, runners up: Lewis Gellatly, Casey Franklin; coach's award: Lenny McQueen.
Other netball awards:
B grade best and fairest: Kayla Weidemann, runners up: Gemma Morgan and Phoebe Downer; coach’s award: Tara-Sky Long.
C grade best and fairest: Emma Gellatly, runners up: Cleo Baker and Cristy Zolj; coach’s award: Bec McQueen.
C reserve best and fairest: Mackenzie Goodin, runners up: Jess Burns, Holly Rickard and Kelly Matthews; coach’s award: Megan Boyd.
Under 17 best and fairest: Ilze Van Zyl, runners up: Indy Webb and Emma Gellatly; coach’s award: Leni Hopper.
Under 15 best and fairest: Phoebe Downer, runners up: Mahlie Tepper and Sienna Finnigan; coach's award: Sarah Gellatly.
Under 13 best and fairest: Becky Webb, runners up: Ane Van Zyl and Valeria Sierra; coach’s award: Tilly Maher.
Other club awards:
Club person of the year: Sam Chenoweth
Life membership: Matt Webb.