A GRADE – WEST GAMBIER V NORTH GAMBIER
Last weekend’s A Grade second semi final was a match of the highest quality with West Gambier almost snatching the win after trailing for much of the day, going down by one goal.
But regardless of how well the Roos played, they ended up in this weekend’s preliminary final and will need to win their way past North Gambier if they are to have a chance to defender their title.
West got off to a sluggish start at the weekend and will be looking to jump out of the blocks with better intensity at both ends of the court this weekend.
Every match up has the ability to significantly influence the final result.
There is Tara Bryant and Mel Renko going head to head in the centre, Sarah Ritter will be up against Stella Mobbs or Mikaila Pitt and at the other end, Jade Ritter will look to deny Grace Potts easy ball near the post.
Brianna Walters looms large for the Tigers – she just quietly goes about her business, using her speed to hit the circle’s edge and she just does not make mistakes with ball in hand so Zoe Malseed, who played a disciplined game at the weekend will need to bring relentless concentration and commitment to shutting down Walters this weekend.
Mikaela Horigan did much of her damage without the ball at the weekend, creating a number of mid court turnovers and she will be well matched by Lauran Norman, who matches her for athleticism and ability in the air, or Pitt.
Amy Cram is the general of the defensive end of the West court and her battle with young gun Macey Griffith, while helping Ritter defend Potts will be one of the most match shaping duels of the match, while North goal defence Noni McConnell will need to be at her tight checking best as Lisa McGregor continues to be the architect of the Roos transition game, working high up the court, doing a mountain of work in the goal third and combining well with Ritter.
The reigning premiers should have enough firepower to get the job done, setting up a rematch of last season’s premiership decider.
A RESERVE – WEST GAMBIER V NORTH GAMBIER
West Gambier was well in the contest with Millicent for the first half of the second semi final but faded in the second and will be looking to find a strong four quarter performance, which is what it will take, if they are to advance to the grand final with a win over North Gambier.
The two sides are well matched.
Both have a strong goal shooter who must be stopped – West’s Tahlia Earl and North’s Alisha Bryan.
Both have creative goal attacks who do a mountain of work out the front with Graice Peterson for West and Tigers Alycia Pitson.
West coach and goal keeper Racheal Langford will have the job on Bryan, while youngster Madelyn Milich will look to shut down Pitson.
Riley Mitchell will look to take on Earl and deny her the space at the post, while Jessie Little and Nat Fox have been sharing goal defence duties.
Teenager Ava Collins, who often enters the game at wing defence, is also an option to tackle Earl if required.
The mid courts are both speedy and smart and much will come down to which mid court can transition the ball with more efficiency, while applying maximum pressure without ball in hand.
Accuracy will also be a key – Bryan is coming off a semi final where she scored 44 of North’s goals as she and Pitson combined for 66 from 84 in a dominant display and Earl netted 38 from 45 at the weekend.
North will be right in this contest but the Roos will advance in a genuine arm wrestle of a contest.
B GRADE – MILLICENT V WEST GAMBIER
Millicent just could not find a way to stop Casterton Sandford finding tall Cats shooter Shelby Nolte in the weekend’s second semi final but they face a very different task this weekend with the moving shooting circle of West Gambier.
This preliminary final will, however, see one the Roos trying to stop a tall shooter in her tracks when they look to deny Saints shooter Nicole Domaschenz too may scoring opportunities in range.
That task will fall not just to Daena Wombwell, who is well matched for height and tenacity with the Saints spearhead, but also Brooke Holmes, Kirby Hunter and Bianca Jackway, who will help form the back trio that will need to pressure delivery into Domaschenz.
And given those balls will be delivered by Krystal Coghlan and Kalli Brown, who are both experienced and composed in the heat of battle, West will have to be relentless with their defensive pressure.
The battle in the centre between the athletic Saint Coghlan and Kylie Heaver, who is a smart, hard working player will be one of the match deciding duels, with Maelee Dalton also taking her turn to take on Coghlan, where her athleticism and willingness to defend will be critical.
West’s moving goal circle with Elysha Collins, who can also take the wing attack bib, Cailtin Carraill and Kristy Dolan, will need to find their timing early and work together to find space as Veronica Duncan and Michelle Fleming have a great understanding and good reach.
Fleming is under an injury cloud after suffering a hand injury in the second semi final and if she is missing, the scales tip significantly in the Roos favour.
The season record says Millicent wins but West has already had one upset finals victory so are not out of the contest by any means.
C GRADE – EAST GAMBIER V NORTH GAMBIER
Both East Gambier and North Gambier enter this weekend’s preliminary final after overtime finals that were tense from beginning to end.
East lost at the weekend to minor premiers South Gambier after a late comeback from the Bulldogs forced the 14 extra minutes but the Demons regrouped and won their way through to the grand final.
It was a different scenario for North, who dominated large portions of its knockout semi final with West Gambier before the Roos stormed home to force the overtime but then fell one goal short when the final whistle blew, keeping the Tigers season alive.
Both sides have strong defensive lines.
East with the athletic duo of Brooklyn Jean and Chloe Lines and North with =the luxury of finding the best combination with Rebecca Johnson, Sarah Nieuwenhuizen, Kelsie Anderson and Tara Fleming.
The shooting circles have a few combination on offer – East using youngster Millie Button as the main target with experienced campaigner Megan Wilson bringing the smarts and long range accuracy and Katie Gaffney on hand to take either role.
The Tigers have the height of Milly Allen as their focal point with Hannah Fox providing the drive and accurate feeding and 17 & Under player Sarah Brown also an option.
The mid courts will see East’s veteran duo of Tamara Perryman and Zena Creek using their smarts, with Grace Ferguson providing the speed in transition, while North has Keeley Quinn, Kahlia Egan and Shay Merrett who will just keep presenting to ensure the ball is worked safely into the shooting circle.
This could well be one of the tightest finals of the day with the Bulldogs prevailing in a nailbiter.
17 & UNDER – MILLICENT V CASTERTON SANDFORD
An injury ravaged Millicent was totally outclassed by North Gambier in the second semi final and they will be looking to rebound strongly against Casterton Sandford, who advanced to the preliminary final courtesy of a nailbiter over East Gambier.
The Saints boast the long range firepower of Keelie Lindner and Abby Denton, with Mylee Lynch waiting in the wings if required, while the mid court has the speed and smarts of Lillie Paul, the hard working Jaimie Lucas and Bree Watson and the versatility of Mia Gysbers and potential interchange player Piper Paul – with both able to apply any role in the mid court.
Defensively, much will depend on how the ankle injury suffered by Mackinlee Alcock pulls up this week and if she can resume her circle defence combination with Maya Tarrant.
Matti Fauchelle, who took the role in the second semi final, could well be called into action again.
The result could also rest on whether Edie Easterby is fit to play after missing the second semi final as she gives the Saints a strong mid court or circle defence option if available.
Casterton Sandford would certainly believe they are a chance to advance, given the quality of their line-up, headlined by the shooting combination of Ivy Lane and Chelsea Hulm.
The Cats duo have played much of their junior netball together and have a good understanding and both are accurate finishers so will make their opportunities count.
At the other end of the court Sarah Richardson never gives an inch and Phoebe Carlin just loves hunting interceptions and often gets to balls she has no right to turn over.
The mid court is also strong with speedy, smart wing attack Indi Longhurst, hard running centre Madeline Patton and Isobel McRae, who uses her height to great effect.
This could well be a tighter contest than many expect but the Saints should prevail.
15 & UNDER A – NORTH GAMBIER V WEST GAMBIER
The 15 & Under A 2nd semi final ended in a more lopsided scoreline than would have been expected so the vanquished North Gambier team will be looking to take on prisoners in this weekend’s preliminary final against West Gambier to earn a redemption game against the Saints.
Both sides have tall accurate goal shooters, so keeping the ball out of the hands of North’s Mischa Human and West’s Lila Pearson, will be priority one for the respective coaches.
Human has built a strong combination with Elodie Adam, who loves the long range shot and with Georgia Nulty and Maggie Collins delivering the ball, the challenge is there for North’s Alice Allen and Mikayla Pearson to deny easy ball in good shooting position, while Maggy Dyson will be relied on to pressure the feeds.
Pearson is well matched with Human in height so positioning will be all important in this battle, while Allen is also a good match for Adam with her speed onto the ball and great elevation.
Her work over the shot is also impressive and the pressure from the Roos will need to be relentless if they are to cause the upset.
The work rate of the West mid court will also need to send to none and Swaye Lindner and Ella Jolley will need to work overtime to find a way through the tough and athletic North defence of Raine Darimaani, Ruby Mitchell and Kelsie Anderson.
The Tigers defensive trio has good reach, ability to read the play and will contest everything so Pearson will need to hold strongly and Lara Murdoch and Miley Vivian will need to time their drives into the circle perfectly to try and break up the defensive set up.
West will certainly challenge the Tigers but North should comfortably earn that Millicent rematch in the title decider.
15 & UNDER B – NORTH GAMBIER V WEST GAMBIER
North Gambier is coming off a tight 2nd semi final loss where Millicent just ran away with the match in the final quarter so they will be looking to put in a strong four quarter performance and earn another shot at the Saints after finishing the home and away season on top of the ladder.
But they will not have it all their own way when they take on West Gambier for the last spot in the grand final.
The Roos have good scoring power with Lila Pearson, Miley Vivian and Ava Reid all as options so the defensive combination of Penny Coleman, who was the Tigers’ best at the weekend, and Isabella Stafford will need to be on song from the first whistle.
They will also rely on pressure from the mid court of Lacey Allen, Lily Brook, Zoe Davison and Georgia Nulty so the ball coming in is under pressure and could result in errors.
The West mid court will also need to be at their defensive best without the ball and careful and precise with it, with Libby Buck, Maya Lynch and Brydie Starick all coming off strong semi final performances.
Of course, the Tigers have strong shooting combination with the height and aerial strength of Claire Michell and the well timed moves and long range accuracy of Mia Griffith so Holly Jackson, who was her side’s best in the 1st semi final, and Analeigh Anderson, who is one of the tightest checking defenders in the age group, will need to deny the dynamic Tigers duo time and space.
West will push the Tigers but it is hard to mount a case that North will not advance to the season decider.
13 & UNDER A – NORTH GAMBIER V WEST GAMBIER
West Gambier is yet to beat North Gambier this season in the 13 & under A competition but as they enter the preliminary final against the Tigers, the young Roos know they have already caused one upset when they ousted Casterton Sandford in the 1st semi final.
The closest margin between the two has been 11 goals and the last time they met it was a blowout but anyone who saw the tenacious Roos force their 1st semi final into overtime and eventual victory would be reticent to dismiss their chances.
Much will depend on the ability of Isla Lynch and Claire Hunter to win the ball back and deny the scoring combination of Carey Grivell and Lacey Hunter too many scoring opportunities.
Lacey Hunter was nailing her long range attempts in the second semi final for the Tigers and her battle with Claire Hunter will be one of the more pivotal of the match while Lynch was outstanding in the 1st semi final and if she wins back that much ball again the Roos will be in the hunt.
At the other end of the court, the West shooting combination had a strong 1st semi final with both Eva Povey and Sara Richards not afraid of the long range attempt so North defenders Ava Halloran and Amelie Adam will need to be at their best, working hard one on one to deny the Roos goalers the ball.
One of the other battles that will decide the final outcome will be in the centre where North’s hard running Jenna baron takes on the speed of Ella McKenny.
Baron is well supported in the mid court by Mackenzie Harrold, who is a tenacious wing defender and smart sing attack Grace Colins, while the West mid court has good depth with Miah Jackway, Samantha Foster, Matilda Neale, and Claudia Vorwerk, who was one of her team’s best in week one of the finals.
West will certainly test the Tigers but North should earn one more crack at getting the better of the Saints in the grand final.
13 & UNDER B – EAST GAMBIER V MILLICENT
East Gambier and Millicent will fight it out this weekend for the remaining spot in the 13 & Under B grand final.
The Bulldogs won two of the three encounters in 2023 but the results have been topsy turvy and reveal very little about how Saturday might pan out.
East’s defensive combination of Ava Olsen and Tilly Olsen (pictured below) will need to be at their tight checking best to limit the scoring opportunities of Brydie Madden and Lindy Van Eeden, while Madden and Van Eeden will be looking to finish accurately as the tall east defenders will dominate the rebounding battles.
At the other end of the court, the Saints have a variety of defensive options led by Prudence Johnson, who can be relied upon to create plenty of turnover ball, who combines with Audrey Galambos, Sophie Walker and Olivia Hales.
They will be taking on the strong holding Isabelle Cook and smart moving Ava Hosking and the Bulldogs shooting duo will need more opportunities to hit the scoreboard than they were afforded in the 2nd semi final against Casterton Sandford.
The mid courts are well matched with plenty of speed and tenacity.
East’s mid court is led by Sailor McCracken with good support from Izabella Neilson, Liana Dickson and Ava Hosking, while Lacey Sunderland takes charge in the Saints mid court with Lottie Matthews showing great expertise with ball in hand, as well as the defensive options that also take the defensive wing.
This looms as a tight contest, despite the more lop sides margins both ways during the season, with the Bulldogs just getting over the line.
