Barnawartha's Janine Ramage reflects on her Tallangatta League netball career

The long-time Barnawartha midcourt player was crowned equal runner-up in the Tallangatta and District Netball Association's B-grade best and fairest award this season alongside Thurgoona's Meg Smith.

But despite this, the 39-year-old believes her playing days are over.

"My head wants to go, but my body doesn't," she laughed.

"Country footy and netball is just really wonderful to be a part of and that's what has kept drawing me back.

"I think now with my kids getting a bit older, Heidi played in the under-13s this year and Declan plays for Raiders on a Sunday, I just think it's time for me to quit."

Ramage played an integral part in some of the Tigers most successful years to claim six premierships, four in A-grade and two in B-grade.

She was among the players to help the club land their first A-grade prize in 2001.

Each of the flags remain highlights, with some proving to be a battle.

"I look back fondly at playing Mitta in an A-grade grand final that went into overtime twice," she said.

"In a B-grade grand final we were down to Thurgoona by 11 goals in the first quarter.

"We were ready to jump in the bus and drown our sorrows, but the girls had the belief and we ended up winning."

Ramage won the TDNA's B-grade best and fairest award in 2017 and has been named in the A-grade's Team of the Year on four occasions.

She also made a special memory this season when she stepped onto the court alongside her sister Michelle Anderson and nieces Jaylah and Shelby Daunt.

"The four of us were on court together which was really nice," she said.

Ramage began her playing career with Wodonga, meeting her husband Steve at the club.

It was him that then helped lure her to Barnawartha.

After a stint in Ballarat, the pair returned to the Tigers in 2010.

Ramage has remained at the club ever since to see out the rest of her career.

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She admits she's been lucky enough to play both with and against some of the best players the league has to offer.

"There's so many good quality netballers out there," she said.

"Players like Kath Fryer, she's an absolute gun that has come back from Achilles injuries and has still been able to play good netball."

Ramage herself has had some injury troubles during her career, missing a season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

While she's ruled out returning to the court, she's looking forward to being able to throw the netball around with her daughter Heidi.

Despite the challenges of the interrupted TDNA competition, Ramage will look back on her last season fondly.

"It was a shame not being able to have finals this season, but the Tallangatta and District Netball Association worked really hard to try and get us on court," she said.

All of Barnawartha's junior netball grades, along with C-grade, qualified for finals this season, while the club's A and B-grades both finished ninth.

Ramage believes the Tigers have plenty of depth in their junior ranks.

"There's some really good young players coming through," she said.

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