Rebecca Piazza plays her 300th A-grade match for Myrtleford

The long-serving goal-shooter, who played in the club's last A-grade flag in 2003, hits the milestone with the Saints back in the premiership window.

Piazza, 38, has spent her entire career at Myrtleford and is believed to be the first player in the club's history to hit 300 games at the top level.

Andrea Crisp-Sullivan, Kelly Jackson, Jaclyn McAlpine and Janelle McMasters have all played 300 club games for the Saints but Saturday's home game against North Albury sees Piazza enter uncharted waters.

"It hit me as a little bit of a surprise," she admitted.

"I hadn't really kept up with where it was at but I guess time flies when you're having fun.

"I wouldn't change it for the world, I'm very proud to be a one-club player and Myrtleford is a great place to bring in the 300."

Piazza made her A-grade debut in 2001 as a 15-year-old, becoming a full-time member of the side when she turned 17.

"It was really exciting," Piazza said.

"It's even more special to still have two of my best friends and team-mates in Jaclyn McAlpine and Janelle McMasters still playing at the club, and Andrea Grant as our A-grade team manager.

"I've shared a lot of memories and a lot of those 300 matches with that core group.

"I've formed some amazing friendships along the way o it's nice to still have a lot of familiar faces, not just on the netball side of things but the club in general.

"There's a lot of family connections.

"Players like Saige Broz and Sally Botter, who I'm playing with in A-grade now, I've played with their mums and even won a premiership with Saige's mum.

"It does make me feel old!

"I've babysat a number of the girls I play with now but I'm very happy to have Tina Way older than me.

"I've been the oldest for a long time but now she's got a year or so on me."

The club has been a huge part of Piazza's life, let alone her netball career.

"It's not often a little town like Myrtleford gets to shoulder up with some of these bigger towns and bigger clubs," Piazza said.

"We've had success and we've had some challenging years as well but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

"I love the club and I love the people who are associated with it.

"With the joy it's brought me over the years, it's turned into part of who I am.

"It's always been a challenge for Myrtleford and no doubt it will be into the future as well.

"This year's probably an exception in that we've been very lucky to pick up some top-rated players in the likes of Sophie Hanrahan, Georgia Ryan and Liv La Spina.

"But try-outs in a small town like Myrtleford are really about encouraging as many people as we can to get there and making a team around the people who turn up.

"In some ways, we're jealous of other clubs who have a huge turnout but in other ways, it means we're more inclusive and everyone gets an opportunity.

"We make do with everyone who's there and they're playing with their absolute heart and soul.

"That's sometimes more important than getting a big volume of numbers."

If time really does fly when you're having fun, this season must have flashed by for all at the Saints.

"It has been an absolute blast," Piazza said.

"We've got an injection of new players right across all the grades, the likes of Evie Hughes stepping up from the 17s and we've connected really well and gelled nicely.

"We are having a lot of fun and winning is of course fun as well so we've been enjoying that journey too."

Piazza has felt her own game lift playing alongside Hanrahan, La Spina and Ryan.

"Sophie has a massive netball career ahead of her, beyond the Ovens and Murray, and to have someone of her calibre along with the rest of the crew really has been amazing," Piazza said.

"It brings a different vibe to the club.

"But in saying that, it's still amazing to have the familiar faces and the stalwarts of the club across all the grades as well."

And the buzz throughout Myrtleford's netball section is huge with finals now just around the corner.

"That's probably the most exciting part of it all," Piazza said.

"In all of my years at Myrtleford, I can't remember a time where A, B and C-grade have all been involved in finals together and that's a real possibility this year as well as our under-15s, which is new to the competition this year.

"To have the young Saints brigade really matching it with the other clubs and well and truly holding their own is really exciting for the future of netball in Myrtleford."

So how far beyond 300 could we see Piazza go?

"This is our 20-year anniversary from our last A-grade premiership so it's a bit of a milestone," she said.

"But while we're having fun and while I feel like I can still contribute to the team, we'll see what happens."

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