LAKE BOGA
Coach – Anne-Marie Stewart
KEY PLAYER
Emma Peacock
Peacock has quickly become one of Lake Boga’s most dynamic players in what is potentially the most organised defence in the league.
Can lock down on the opposition’s most dangerous shooters while at the same time being one of the best hunters of the ball going around.
Was among Lake Boga’s better players when they last played Swan Hill, where she played wing defence, despite having played either goal defence or keeper for much of this season.
Can play almost any position and her ability to not only read the play, but attack and create further up the court, makes her one of the players to watch this finals series.
BURNING QUESTION
Are Lake Boga ready to bury their finals demons?
In reality, we may not truly know the answer to this question for another fortnight, especially since they defeated the Swans in the corresponding fixture last season.
Although the Magpies’ grand final loss was a brutal blow, they moved on quickly, having gone through the home-and-away season undefeated.
Swan Hill have been equally impressive, however, and as the reigning premiers are still the team to beat, despite Lake Boga’s best netball being almost unstoppable.
But finals can be a different beast altogether, with the pressure going up, along with what’s at stake.
Lake Boga have sat at the top of the ladder almost all season and are absolutely ready to paint the town black and white.
SWAN HILL
Coaches – Kelsey McCoy, Madeleine Nalder & Mollie Quin
KEY PLAYER
Zoe Morris
Has been one of the Central Murray’s leading goal scorers this season and will need to be at her best on Saturday against a powerful Lake Boga defence.
Was well held by Lake Boga goal keeper Sophie Peacock in round 8, scoring just 27 goals for the match, which was her second-lowest score for the year.
When Morris plays well, so too does Swan Hill, and her combination with goal attack Casey Frame has only become stronger in the second half of the season.
Her height and strength make her a difficult match-up for any defender and her accuracy under the goals mark her as a key player for the Swans.
BURNING QUESTION
How do Swan Hill contain the Boga sisters?
There is no doubt that sisters Sarah Hepburn and Katie Carmichael are the best attacking combination in the Central Murray, and if any team is to stop the Magpies they must first work out how to stop the sisters.
Their ability to feed off each other is second to none, with both having the height, strength and speed to be dangerous both in the air and with their positioning in the ring.
Stevie Bibby is expected to stand opposite Carmichael, with Tess Meney having the job on Hepburn. Meney was among the Swans’ better players in round 8.
The best way for Swan Hill to counter their dominance could well come from further up the court, with the Swans’ midcourt needing to push pressure on their Lake Boga counterparts and not allow easy passes into the ring.
KEY MATCH-UP
Katie Carmichael v Stevie Bibby
Although there will be mouth-watering individual match-ups across the court, the battle between Katie Carmichael and Stevie Bibby will be a pivotal one for their respective teams’ chances of victory.
Carmichael has been one of the players of the season for Lake Boga, with her size and forward craft making her an almost impossible match-up for any defender.
Bibby, on the other hand, is one player who could counter Carmichael, with her ability to read the play and intercept often making her Swan Hill’s first line of attack.
