THERE are no more second chances as the Mallee Eagles and Swan Hill battle it out for grand final spot in this weekend’s preliminary final.
While the Swans have been one of the strongest sides in the Central Murray A Grade competition all season, the Eagles have had to work that little bit harder to keep within the top five, but have seemingly peaked at a critical point.
Coming back from an eight-goal deficit at three quarter time to beat Woorinen by six goals in last Sunday’s semi-final, Eagles coach Meg Allen told The Guardian that that win has given her side a much-needed confidence boost heading into tomorrow’s game.
“I think we always knew we had it in us, but I suppose to actually come out and show that a couple of weeks in a row, I feel like we are really starting to hit our straps at the right end of the season,” she said.
“When you finish fifth, every week is elimination essentially, so we are sort of running off that adrenaline and that hunger that we keep sort of building momentum each week.
“Getting that first win in the first week against Balranald, who are a great side, and to have that come-from-behind win like we did on Sunday, we are now really pumped to see how far we can take this.
“Don’t get me wrong, obviously it is still going to be a really tough feat as the last two games have been coming up against Swan Hill who are obviously a class outfit and have been for years, but I think we’re all confident in ourselves to at least be able to give it a really red-hot crack.”
It is a bit of a different story for the Swans however, who have had to use this week to regroup after going down to Lake Boga by a single goal last week.
“Obviously like any final matches, whenever you lose it is disappointing, and we went down by the narrowest of margins,” Swan Hill co-coach Madeleine Nalder said.
“But you have to move on – we talked about that after the game on Saturday, that we’ve got a new challenge in the preliminary final and that we can’t control what the result of Saturday was, we just need to move on and focus on that challenge that lays ahead for us this week.”
The preliminary final will boast some big match-ups, including a head-to-head battle between Swans shooter Zoe Morris and Eagles defender Sarah Young, as well as a likely midcourt clash between Sonya Lorenzoni and Karli McIntyre in the wing.
While the Swans are famed for their clinical, clean style of netball that only comes from having a team that has played together for years, the Eagles will be relying on their versatility as a playing group to try to keep the Swans guessing.
And while they won’t want to be getting ahead of themselves, it is almost certain that every player on the court will have the gravity of what they are playing for in the back of their minds.
“To be honest, for me personally, it is literally like a childhood dream to make a grand final and then win one for Lalbert. I have no idea the last time Lalbert has played a grand final, so we would be over the moon about it,” Allen said.
“But one step at a time – we have still got this weekend at hand, so we will put in our best team and see what we can do with it.”
TIP – Mallee Eagles by two goals
KEY MATCHUP
Madeleine Nalder and Kellie Walker
GOING head-to-head in the Eagles goal circle, Walker and Nalder is the battle to watch.
As one of the tallest shooters in the league, Walker is renowned for her holding style of play and ability to get the ball under the ring. But she will have a hard task ahead of her coming up against Nalder, who has a knack for reading play and being able to turn over balls at critical moments.
With the game likely to come down to who can make the most of any momentum swing, both teams will be looking to capitalise on any turnover they possibly can.
SWANS BURNING QUESTION
How will the Swans’ loss last week impact their game?
WHILE losing is an inevitable part of the game, it doesn’t happen often for Swan Hill, and their loss to Lake Boga last week is sure to have some sort of impact on the players.
But whether that is a good or a bad thing is yet to be determined – it may have deflated their spirits a little bit, or it may have spurred them on and made them more determined to have a chance to redeem themselves.
EAGLES BURNING QUESTION
Will the Swans’ experience be too much to for the Eagles overcome?
COMPARED to the Swans’ years of finals experience, the Eagles are fairly green when it comes to playing in the big dance.
But their recent stellar form has made them a force to be reckoned with on the court, and with a hunger to finally have a chance to win a grand final well within their reach, the Eagles may make up what they lack in experience in determination.
SWANS KEY PLAYER
Zoe Morris
A POWERHOUSE under the ring, Morris will player a key role for the Swans in the preliminary final. Known for her holding style of play, she has an amazing ability to get the ball from anywhere in the ring, combined with her accuracy at the post. Morris will be joined in the ring by goal attack Ingrid Condely, who will also play a critical role.
EAGLES KEY PLAYER
Sarah Young
WANTING to be able to turn over as much ball as possible defensively, Eagles goal keeper Sarah Young will be instrumental in executing her team’s game plan.
Being elevated into their A Grade side this season, Young has continued to build as a defender as the year has gone on. While she may not have as much height behind her as some other defenders, she has a great ability to get in front of her attackers.
