A GRADE – WEST GAMBIER V NORTH GAMBIER
West Gambier’s premiership defence is still alive – just – after the Roos survived a strong challenge from an impressive North Gambier in the A Grade preliminary final.
It was the Tigers getting the better of the start as they applied relentless defensive pressure, creating plenty of turnover ball from a usually composed West frontline.
Youngster Stella Mobbs, in her first A Grade final series, was the mastermind of most of those turnovers, with Lauran Norman also getting some important touches and using good hands pressure over the ball to produce the errors.
At the other end, Macey Griffith was on fire, shooting a perfect nine straight to ensure the hard work of her team mates was rewarded.
But West did get into gear eventually with goal defender Amy Cram leading the way with some critical interceptions and with Lisa McGregor working overtime to try and find a way to Ritter at the post, the Roos eventually clawed their way back to a one goal quarter time lead.
The second quarter saw a reversal of the script with the Roos setting up the early buffer as the error-free Tigers frontline started to make some mistakes on the feed and Jade Ritter and Cram were only too happy to pick up the loose balls.
The Tigers, though, steadied, with the work rate of Mel Renko and Brianna Walters in transition a key to arresting the early West momentum and by the half it was still a one goal game.
The arm wrestle continued in the third as Ritter started to find easier ball and she converted 12 from 12 to ensure the scoreboard, albeit narrowly stayed in the Roos favour.
As it had been all game, it was a tight physical encounter with both teams having to use the back play to their transverse line and the mid courts and goal attacks having to do a mountain of work to find their goalers in space.
It was a three goal game at the final break and the last quarter was as frenetic as you would expect with a grand final berth on the line.
Once again, it was the reigning premiers that had the better of the start with Jade Ritter and Cram picking up some key interceptions and rebounds and at one stage the lead was seven but again North fought back but ran out of time to unseat the titleholders.
Mobbs was outstanding at goal keeper with her clen interceptions, stunning deflections and strong rebounding, while Griffith played arguably her best A Grade match ever as she drove the base with precision and had a much more prolific output than usual, netting 25 from 30 in a performance that included perfect shooting in the first and last quarters.
Renko and Walters were also key with their hard running, while Noni McConnell work McGregor like a glove and provided important transition options and Mikaila Pitt, who entered the clash in the second half had a couple of big moments in the last quarter when the Tigers were desperate for turnovers.
Despite the efforts of Mobbs, Sarah Ritter was still influential for the Roos, showing great composure under intense physical pressure and her 48 from 58, including that perfect third quarter helped set up the win.
McGregor did a mountain of work, Tara Bryant never stopped presenting, Mikaela Horrigan delivered some ambitious long range feeds and had good vision all day, while Zoe Malseed put pressure on the outside of the circle and also turned into a key attacking option when required.
Cram and Jade Ritter were two of the Roos best, taking those interceptions just when they were needed and Cram also had to do a power of work as a link player and on the back play time and time again.
The four goal victory sets up a rematch of last season’s decider and given the second semi final between the two teams was a one goal nailbiter, it looms as a match not to be missed.
