Belief in possession-heavy play has worked wonders for the Eagles in the Goulburn Valley League.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Mansfield has won more games in 2026 than it did in 2025 already. It was all a matter of belief.
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Its two latest wins haven’t been easy feats either - reigning premier Shepparton and regular finalist Tatura.
Now, a predicted lower-rung Eagles outfit is circling a finals position.
Just percentage out of the equation with a 5-5 record, coach Tegan Hopkins feels the navy blue and gold have had a mindset shift that could see them challenge with the best for the remainder of the season.
Prior to round nine’s win over the Bears, Mansfield’s three wins had come against the three lowest opponents on the Goulburn Valley League A-grade ladder - the winless Kyabram, the one-win Benalla, and the two-win Rochester.
But a closer look at its losses suggest the Eagles were never far away.
Mansfield lost by just four goals to Seymour, which currently sit fifth, and was valiant against Shepparton United and Shepparton Swans - two clubs also on the verge of entering the top six too.
Hopkins knew that Mansfield was on the cusp, it just needed to break the mental barrier.
“I think we’d done really well so far, but we recognised at times we lacked belief,” Hopkins said.
“We’ve started to really believe in ourselves and we’re proud of what we’re accomplishing now.”
A seven-goal win against the reigning premier more than got the wheels in motion - the tyres starting spinning at a hundred kilometres an hour.
While the Bears lacked star goal shooter Kim Borger, among others, it was a stepping stone of growth for Mansfield.
“They were quite depleted to be honest, but we executed our game plan of ‘possession-ball’, keeping our centres and executing our passes,” Hopkins said.
“I acknowledge they didn’t have everyone, and it will be a different match-up if we play them again, but that’s the challenge to us to grow further between now and then.”
As belief grew, previously nervous moments in the clutch saw the Eagles flourish when the game was on the line.
In a tense battle at Tatura Park, Mansfield came away with the points in round 10 after a win by the slimmest of margins against the Bulldogs, 41-42.
Mansfield’s Jacqui Harrington stepped up as coach in the Eagles’ one-goal win over Tatura.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
“I wasn’t able to be there for that game but I was absolutely rapt,” Hopkins said.
“It’s been a while since we’ve beaten Tat, and to hear from Jacqui Harrington - who stepped in as coach - about the girls having belief in one another and back one another in a close game like that was great.”
But the quality opposition doesn’t end yet for the Eagles.
Mansfield will host Echuca on Saturday - the only club to have knocked off current ladder-leaders Euroa.
Hopkins knows it will take everything from her A-graders, but affirms that belief in her “simple” style of play will take her Eagles far.
“I think it’s going to be very difficult (to beat Echuca) but if we play our way of possession netball, and continue with our calmness and skill execution, it will give us an opportunity.”
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