THE finals destiny of both Kerang and Tooleybuc-Manangatang will become clearer after this weekend, with both clubs set to clash at Riverside Park this Saturday afternoon.
While the Blues (second) and Saints (fifth) currently find themselves inside the top five, a loss for either team could have major ramifications on their finishing positions, with Kerang fighting to stay in the hunt for a double chance and Tooleybuc-Manangatang trying to fight off Swan Hill, Cohuna and Balranald.
Much has changed since the Blues defeated the Saints by 17 goals back in round 2, with Kerang having struggled to regain form following their loss to the Mallee Eagles last month.
Since then, the Blues succumbed to Lake Boga and Koondrook-Barham, with last weekend’s three-goal win over Swan Hill breaking a three game losing streak.
Kerang will go into Saturday’s match at full strength with midcourter Bree Cordina set to return after missing last Saturday, with Kerang co-coach Chloe Adams looking forward to the challenge of taking on the much-improved Saints outfit.
“I think over the last the few weeks before the Swan Hill game, those losses definitely hurt us, but there is a silver lining as well,” Adams told The Guardian this week.
“I think it’s good practice for finals and the lead up to finals knowing we need to win every game and that every game is going to be really tough.
“It’s exciting going into finals with some really tight contests and knowing that we have to win pretty much every game from here on out.
“They (Tooleybuc-Manangatang) are a completely different side than when we first played them back in the earlier rounds and it will be good to get a look at what those inclusions and how they have changed their team.”
Those personnel changes include Zoe Morris, who has helped transform the Saints’ goal circle, and Emily Siely, who has been equally important with her passing and ball movement into the ring.
Siely has been a vital inclusion to the Saints midcourt with her performance against Lake Boga earning her praise from senior coach Mel Wait last week.
While Siely and Morris have both transformed her team in recent months, Wait also knows that it’s going to take a full court effort from her side to topple Kerang.
“I think the fact that we have two goalies that can be dominant is an advantage, but I know Chloe will mark Zoe very closely,” Wait said.
“That means Summer (Blachford) will have to make sure she does the work out the front and make sure she plays in front, which she’s very good at.
“I think defensively, Taylah (Morris) hasn’t played on Denise (Roberts) before I believe, so that will be an interesting match up because Denise is very aerial and Taylah is the general in defence that just gets the job done.
“I think that’s where we as a team will certainly be focusing on, in bringing the pressure outside the goal ring because Denise has that nice baseline game with her aerial work and her combination with Katelyn (Wright), who has been really reliable has blossomed as well.”
“I’m really interested to see where we’re at too, obviously they (Kerang) have a really strong defence and we have a strong goaling end, so it will be good to test ourselves against another quality opponent and just see where we’re at.”
While both teams have their strengths in attack, it could well prove to be in the midcourt where the match is decided, with Jayda Plant, Emma Templeton and Siely all able to move the ball at speed on transition and feed both Morris and Blachford.
For Adams, that midcourt transition will be a key factor in deciding the outcome of the match for her team, with Mikala McNeil, Lily Wise, Madi Hall and Cordina all needing to be at their best.
“Zoe is such a strong target for them, so we need to look at how we can slow the ball down up the court so it doesn’t come into her so quickly and come in so hot for us defenders,” Adams said.
“We’ll back ourselves in, but we know it’s going to be a really tough contest and we’re excited for the contest.
“We know that we can get the job done, but we’re going to have to play four solid corners in order to do that.”
Tip – Kerang to win by two goals.
