LAKE Boga coach Anne-Marie Stewart is under no illusions about the challenge facing her team whey take on Swan Hill in today’s A grade netball grand final.
While the Magpies took out the minor premiership with only one loss to their name, Stewart said those describing their season as “near perfect” were “exaggerating our success”.
“To beat Swan Hill by three goals and then one goal is nothing,” Stewart told The Guardian.
“There is a lot of natural talent across the court – it really comes down to the day and who comes out and wants it and wins it out on the court.”
Exuding an air of calmness, Stewart said this week’s preparation and training had looked the same as any other week for her side.
“We don’t worry about the opposition – we go out, play our game, and concentrate on us and what we can control,” she said.
“The girls are very talented, and when you work with talented players, you never know what they are going to come up with.
“I don’t know whether the attack end will fire, the back end will fire, the centre will fire – as long as someone fires.
“And the same with Swan Hill, we don’t know who is going to have a good day or a bad day, and we are all human, so it is a matter of working through those processes.”
While the Swans have played in more than half of the A grade grand finals over the last two decades, they haven’t actually laid claim to the silverware since 2014.
After going down to Balranald by two goals in last year’s grand final, Swans co-coach Madeleine Nalder was looking forward to the opportunity to redeem themselves this time around.
“That is what everyone plays team sport for – it doesn’t matter what sport you are playing or what you are doing, winning a grand final and the team’s mateship and connection you get from being in a team sport is why we play, and grand finals are the pinnacle,” she said.
Lake Boga has not won an A grade title for 21 years, and a win would mean a lot not just for the playing group, but the entire club and community.
“To be honest, from a club point of view, we haven’t been there for some time, so it’s just the pinnacle of what we want and what we work towards each and every year,” Lake Boga Netball president Sheridan Harrop said.
“But for these girls themselves, I’ve always said that they are so deserving – a friendship group along with their mentor in Annie, they have worked really hard over this year and over the last few years to get to try and get to this point, so it will be just that cherry on the top for them, and I would love it for them to come home with it just for themselves.”
Both Stewart and Nalder were in agreeance that this week was not about singling out key players or matchups, but rather focusing on how their teams perform as a unit.
“We’re chasing a solid performance from every player on our team – we can’t rely on one or two, everyone needs to do their bit and work together as a team,” Nalder said.
“I think it’s just composure with the ball, and if you turn the ball over you have got to be able to put it on you scoreboard.”
With very little separating them throughout the season, the final result will come down to not only physical skill, but tactical netball play.
TIP – Lake Boga to win by 1 goal.
SWAN HILL KEY PLAYER
Kelsey McCoy
MCCOY has been reliable for the Swans all season. Often found in the centre bib, she is fast and agile through the midcourt, and provides a crucial link between the defence and attack ends. Her biggest challenge this week will be Holly Hogan, and managing fatigue in the heat.
LAKE BOGA KEY PLAYER
Jemma Meehan
THE Magpies goal defender is one of the best in the league, polling fifth in this year’s best and fairest. Meehan’s height and strength makes her a dominant force in the ring, combined with her ability to read the play. With every turnover absolutely vital this week, she will have a key role to play.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
LAST meeting the semi-finals just a couple of weeks ago, the Magpies were able to narrowly take home the win by just one goal in the last 20 seconds of the game after trailing behind the Swans all match.
KEY MATCH-UP
Kelly Bonney v Taigan O’Shannassy
GOING head-to-head in the midcourt, both Bonney and O’Shannassy will play crucial roles in their respective team’s line-ups. Only returning to the Swans’ starting seven in the back half of the season after injury, Bonney is a smart player, able to weave the ball down the court to her shooters. Similarly, O’Shannassy also has an incredible ability to read the play, and will be keen to turn over as many balls as she possibly can.
