Who do you think will make the grand finals after Saturday? WESTERN BORDER NETBALL PRELIMINARY FINALS A GRADE If you on the form line from the finals you would assume West Gambier should take out this Saturday’s preliminary final. They ran the Saints close at the weekend, while in the 1st semi final the weekend before, North Gambier struggled to shake off a gallant South Gambier. But the season record suggests, it is the Tigers that have the edge, having won two of the three encounters, including the most recent. There are critical matchups all over the court and it is a contest that could well be too close to call. Leanne Cameron faces the daunting task of controlling West shooter Kahli Rolton, with the bad news for Cameron being Rolton had a quiet outing last week and rarely has two such games in a row. Alannah Campbell has one of the toughest assignments – curbing the influence of Lisa Cram. Cram is not only a key in terms of her long range shooting ability but also the way she sets up the play for the entire Roos attack line and opens up space for Rolton with her well timed front cuts. Her radar was a little off at the weekend and if she converts at her usual high rate of accuracy, which will make things tough for the Tigers. On the flip side, Campbell is one of those players who can create turnovers out of sheer tenacity and desperation at times, and West will need to ensure their delivery to Cram is precise. Meg Gazzard has a tough task too – shutting down the drive of Carlee Davey. Davey is often the key link player between defence and offence for the Roos and she tends to be the feeder who hits the circle hard and delivers the ball with good accuracy to Cram and Rolton. Gazzard is a perfect match for her – athletic and quick, Gazzard is a big game player and showed that in the first semi final. The battle through the middle will be arguably the most pivotal. If Audine Bryant is allowed to run rampant, it will make life tough for the Roos defenders to get their hands on the ball but Carly Trevilyan is coming off a good game min the 2nd semi and she thrives on tough defensive challenges. Brianna Walters and Lauren Duncan could also get a run in the middle for North, of Bryant chooses to move to the attacking wing where she arguably plays her very best netball, using her pace off the mark to great effect. Walters will no doubt starting at wing attack though and have to contend with the close checking Rachael Langford. Langford contests every ball and consistently gets her hands to balls you just think she won’t but Walters is a cool head and not afraid of hard work so it the two will be well matched. Langford is also a key transition player, so Walters will need to be at her best defensively as well. North goal attack Abbey Duncan is one of the key Tigers in this clash and she will certainly have a battle on her hands, taking on the in form Amy Cram, who is coming off a great game against the league’s best player of the past decade – Donna Denton. Cram is a smart defender, who gets opposition teams to pass the ball where she wants it to go, she also places enormous pressure on the shot and rebounds strongly. Duncan will need to be at her accurate best Saturday and her ability to find space and plenty of scoring opportunities will be one of the key factors in the final wash up. The battle at the back of the court is the battle of the young guns as West defender Mollie Muhovics lines up on fellow teenager Bailey Watson. Muhovics will make life tough for Watson – she is a tight checking defender and her work over the shot has improved out of sight this season, Watson moves well and her ability to provide good support for Duncan will be essential is North is to advance. It will be tight, but West should earn one more shot at the reigning champions. A RESERVE Millicent would have enjoyed sitting back and watching the 2nd semi final last weekend as North and South played a physical encounter that was not without its casualties. Whether Toni Sims can recover in time from a serious ankle injury is one of the variables that will make a huge difference to the final result. Sims is a key for the Demons , as an on court leader, an accurate shooter and an outstanding mover in the shooting circle, not just setting up her own opportunities but opportunities for fellow goaler Tanya Thomson. The two have formed a good understanding in the shooting circle and will test Saints defenders Lucy Walker, Kylie Grosser and Natalie Potter. Walker has reinvented herself in tis finals series at both junior and senior level in her return to circle defence rather than goals and given her performance in the 1st semi final, it is hard to see Millicent starting her anywhere but keeper. The battle in the centre between Sharon Adams and Lynette Shanks will be pivotal. Adams is a hard running , creative player, who often pulls off the seemingly possible feed, while Shanks is the steady head who always gets the job done without any fanfare. It is a ying and yang match up sure to determine the final outcome. Millicent lost Carol Grimes to a knee injury in the 1st semi final so that will see multi-premiership wing attack Paula Tunkin back on court. South’s Tash Hemmings-Dunn is a good match up for the smart wing attack though and the two have had a number of classic battles over the years. The battle on the other wing will also be intriguing as South’s Ashlee Cutting looks to find space and room to drive against the tight checking Hannah Cooymans. The match could well be won and lost in the Millicent shooting circle as teenage shooters Keah Lynch and Zoe Brown take on experienced defensive duo Rachel O’Brien and Krystie Reid. Reid and O’Brien work well together and are masters at shutting down space, with both equally as adept in the air as they are on the ground. The young shooting duo stood tall in the first semi final though and the pace and movement of Lynch would trouble most defenders. Brown is also a valuable finals commodity – a shooter not afraid to take the long shot. If Sims plays, the Demons will definitely win and if not, Emily Gazzard will certainly prove a capable replacement and while the result will be closer, it should be the same. B GRADE North was forced to play catch up netball last weekend after letting Casterton Sandford get off to a fast start and while they bridged the gap a few times, in the end, the cats were able to hold on. The Tigers will know they cannot afford to let the Bulldogs get off to a fast start. If Rachelle McKay and Lauren Pike get a look early at interceptions, their confidence will grow and they will be tough to get past all day, while at the other end, give Bindi Davis a chance to shine and you will never shut her down. The key for North will be looking after the ball better. Defenders Brooke Willoughby and Natalie McLaughlin created some good turnovers but North was a little hap hazard in its delivery and given both Melissa Liddle and Leah Kamphius will have a good height advantage over their opponents, better placed balls should give them plenty of scoring opportunities. Zoee Cornolo has been a key for the Bulldogs this season through the mid court and her battle with Emma Kennan or Renae Perryman will be one of the key match ups of the day. Georgia McInerney is crucial for the Tigers, not only with her running ability in attack but her defensive capabilities to create turnovers. Lisa Yeates is arguably the key for the Tigers. Having spent her share of time in the shooting circle over her career, her ability to find her goalers in space is second to none and she delivered some wonderful long balls, catching the defenders napping, in the 2nd semi. This looms as another tight finals, especially as Davis can be a matchwinner with her smart positioning and accurate finishing from all ranges, but the height of Kamphius in the shooting circle, the ability of McLaughlin to create a turnover and the determination of the Tigers to not let this season slip after finishing the home and away season, top, should see them get over the line. C GRADE It was South’s first loss of the season last weekend but there is no cause for panic just yet as the Demons look to book a rematch with Casterton Sandford. Lorelie Ellis has been outstanding in goal shooter all year for the Demons and on Saturday showed her class and Rachel Tonon will have her work cut out for her in curbing the star shooter’s influence. Ellis’ partner in crime, Jaymee O’Neil, cannot be ignored either. A quiet achiever, O’Neil works hard up the court and is an accurate finisher herself as well as a strong rebounder. Candice Younghusband would be her expected opponent although the East defender was forced from the court with an injury in the 1st semi final and so she could still be in doubt. The backline of the Demons were in good form at the weekend and will need to be again. Ellie Patzel, Brianna Fuller and Tash Attiwill all got some important touches and created some critical turnovers and they will need to chase their opponents everywhere as both Caroline Lock and Chris Mathys are not afraid of the long shot, while teenager Sara Smith came on in the 1st semi final to put in a best on court performance. Michele Wichman is another key for east as both a weapon at the attacking and defensive end of the court and her battle with Cindy Burford will be intriguing with Patzel a likely possibility to spend some time in the centre as well to help restrict Wichman’s influence. East is not without its chances but the Demons should advance to the season decider. 17 & UNDER One of the hardest finals to call, the South Gambier-Casterton Sandford clash will be a wonderful showcase of the association’s rising talent. The teams sit a two apiece in matches throughout the season, with the Cats claiming the most recent two encounters. Both sides are chock full of talent and it will be the team that finds some the best consistency with looking after the ball and applying relentless defensive pressure that will earn a chance to take on East in the title decider. South’s shooting circle of Emily Gazzard and Megan Hein has formed a good combination over the season, combining their ability to hold and also to put on the moves with great effect. Megan Lawler and Liza Mutch are dynamic mid courters who worked overtime last weekend to ensure they didn’t give the ball up without a fight to the tough East defence. The backline of Yazmin King, Gemma Currie and Alex Kenny, to which you can add the tenacious Mutch, is also as good as any in the grade. The Cats are just as impressive on paper with the ever reliable Claire Outtram and creative Tori Perry in goals, the hard running Teagan McIntosh in the centre and athletic defender Tayla Guthrie and tight checking keeper Chloe Pratt. Add to that a plethora of options on the wing in Maya Gorman, Panache Makore, Hannah Waters and Alice Keatley, giving experienced coach Leanne Perry a chance to swing the changes if required. The start will be all important but both sides do possess fighting qualities and you can expect this one will go down to the wire. 15 & UNDER Both sides enter this clash after tough semi finals – South having a day to forget against East Gambier and North having to fight every inch of the way against a tenacious Roos. North did beat South last time the two met despite South easily getting the points in the previous three outings. They line-ups are intriguing as both coaches have a number of versatile players at their disposal. Molly Watson was on fire in the 1st semi final and her accuracy and strong positioning will be a key. Her likely opponent is Zoe Duncan and no defender works harder. Duncan is as good on the ground as she is in the air and she will certainly test the young shooter. Georgia Hood is Watson’s partner in crime and her willingness to take the long shot will be a key factor in the clash. Olivia Dukalskis or Duncan will no doubt get the job on this dangerous Tiger. Lauren Ross is the X factor for North. History suggests she will start in centre but move into the defensive circle if required. Morgan Fisher is another key – the defender is equally at home at keeper or goal defence and she makes her opponent earn every possession. For the Demons Katie Roachock and Felicity Clayton will be looking to find better space this week and if they are at their accurate best, it will be a tough day out for the Tigers and it won’t get any easier if Dukalskis spends some time at the offensive end. Isabel Redemski and Keelin Winterfield worked hard all day last weekend and will again be critical in their feeding roles with Hayley Hamilton proving a reliable stopper at wing defence, while Caitlyn Haggett is the pinch hitter who could play mid court or in the defensive circle. 13 & UNDER South Gambier takes on Millicent in this preliminary final in what looms as an intriguing clash. The battle of the day will be Jordyn Adams taking on Millicent star Isabelle Turner. Turner is the key go to player for the Saints, both in setting up play and the shooting and Adams is a classy defender who reads the play amazingly well for one so young and who can create turnovers at will. At the other end, Imogen Walker is the key player for the Demons in offence and her match up with Macey Taylor will go a long way to deciding the outcome. Both sides have plenty of hard running talent through the mid court – South with Ruby Hickman and Claudia Edmonds and Millicent through Hannah Nitschke and Tayla Werchon. South is yet to drop a game to the Saints and the injury to tall key position player Madi Haggett has made life tough for the Saints and the Demons should earn a rematch with the Tigers in the grand final.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 06:33:37 +0000
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