MMG ranks its top five Wellman Family Medal favourites at the Goulburn Valley League halfway mark
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The halfway point of the Goulburn Valley League netball season is upon us, but which of the A-grade stars will drape the Wellman Family Medal around their neck in three months’ time?
From defensive bastions and midcourt metronomes to surgical shooters, the class of ’25 has hit new heights on the court — and if the GVL campaign’s run home is anything like the first half, fans and players alike are in for a treat.
The Shepparton News’ sports team had a stab at listing which of the latter category turned the most heads throughout the opening nine rounds.
5) Sarah Szczykulski (Seymour)
They say attack wins you games and defence wins championships.
If that’s true, then Seymour could be a roughie for the flag thanks to its bastion at the back.
Sarah Szczykulski, the 2023 Wellman Family medallist, has built a bulletproof case over the past decade to stake her claim as one of the league’s best defenders.
This season is no different.
The Seymour star has steered the Lions into third, only trailing unbeaten Euroa and Shepparton, while also captaining the interleague side to a landslide win over the Ovens and Murray in May.
She wins ball like life itself depends on it, frequents the best players column like nobody’s business and leads like few others can.
But will she lay claim to the Wellman Family Medal come September?
4) Hollie Reid (Euroa)
Since joining Euroa in 2024, the Pies’ midcourter has been one of their key instruments in their ascendancy to the top of the league.
Hollie Reid, the reigning club best-and-fairest and last year’s best-on-court in the grand final win over Echuca, has unsurprisingly carried about her business as one of A-grade’s most industrious players.
She has continued to provide silver service down the court, much to the benefit of leading goal shooter Olivia Morris.
But her work rate throughout the nine games has solidified her as one of the region’s best, capped with a best-on-court accolade in the GVL’s big win over the O&M in the May interleague clash.
If Reid’s form-line keeps up, Euroa will be in the box seat to go back-to-back.
3) Molly Boyle (Tatura)
A key pillar behind Tatura is its star defender.
The Bulldogs have the number one ranked defence in 2025 and Molly Boyle has been pivotal in Tatura’s stingy nature.
Lurking in goal defence, Boyle’s impact is felt on the court by any goal-hungry netballer and the gun defender deserves her time in the sun.
Boyle was one of Tatura’s best in its clash against scoring powerhouse and reigning premier Euroa in round eight.
Although the Bulldogs fell to the Magpies by five goals, Euroa was kept to its lowest score of the season by 10 goals; demonstrating Tatura and Boyle’s ability to shut star goalers down.
After exits in the elimination and semi-finals in the past two seasons, can Boyle and her defensive Dogs go deeper into 2025?
2) Kim Borger (Shepparton)
Undoubtedly the most decorated player in the GVL, Kim Borger has quarterbacked Shepparton to dizzying heights in 2025.
The ex-Melbourne Vixen and reigning Wellman Family medallist has steered her side to a 9-0 start from the shooting circle, barely missing a beat — or attempt — on the way to 324 goals.
Only Euroa and its own dead-eye shooter Olivia Morris lie ahead of Borger and her Bears.
If Shepparton can maintain its trajectory and make a deep finals run, there is no reason why Borger won’t reap back-to-back medals when the league’s night of nights rolls around.
But it’ll take something special to stop our number one.
1) Olivia Morris (Euroa)
Olivia Morris is two things: Euroa’s dream and a defender’s worst nightmare.
Rangy, athletic and ice-cold under the ring, the Magpies’ sniper has been a downright bully in the attacking circle this season.
And so far, no side has had an answer for the questions she has posed.
From a season-ending compound ankle fracture in 2023 to a 907-goal campaign in 2024, it seems like every game Morris plays in black and white, she powers up.
With 473 goals at the halfway mark — including 74 in one game against Benalla — she is on track to crack the coveted 1000 barrier in finals.
After placing fifth in last season’s Wellman Family Medal count, could 2025 be Morris’ year?
Let’s wait and find out.
Honourable mentions: Dayna Williams (Mooroopna), Ellie Fuhrmeister (Seymour), Ashlea Hare (Echuca) and Molly Kennedy (Shepparton).