The East Gambier v North Gambier clash is a battle between two sides who have struggled in the 2022 Western Border netball season just to get their preferred starting seven onto the court, so it is hard to predict the outcome of the first semi-final between reigning the premiers and their Tiger opposition.

The Bulldogs will be looking to their full-court defensive pressure to get them over the line, while the Tigers will be hoping for a strong offensive performance, generating plenty of scoring opportunities for star shooter Caroline Wakefield.

North won the first two clashes but East turned the tables in round 11 which sets the scene for a tense clash.

East must limit supply to Wakefield, who is both prolific and accurate when it comes to scoring.

While that job will be in the hands of tenacious defender Morgan Amy, it will be the pressure out front from defensive partner Bo Creek and mid courters Emily Hunter and Tyne Bosko that will tell the story of the contest.

One way to do that will be to ensure they make the most of their possession, with Hunter and Tarsh McCallum both in good form in terms of hitting the circle’s edge and finding Amryn Bosko and Sarah Lock in space.

Accuracy will be a key for the Bulldogs shooting duo as they battle the tight checking Zahra Crough and Mel Renko.

Renko will also be a key in transition for the Tigers as she so often links the defensive end of the with the speed in the mid court of Brianna Walters and Ash Kalantarian.

The Walters-Hunter battle will be pivotal as the speed and finesse of Walters looks to get the better of the toughness and strength of Hunter.

East has arguably had a little more time in the past month of their preferred line-up hitting the court, while the Tigers have had the usual disruptions with player unavailability so the Bulldogs do have the edge in team chemistry.

But any team with Wakefield is always in the contest and can score quickly if required.

If North has its preferred starting seven, it could score a narrow win but if one piece of the puzzle falls, the likes of Hunter, Creek and McCallum will drag their team mates over the line.