CASTERTON SANDFORD V SOUTH GAMBIER

It was a performance South Gambier would have loved to produce more consistently and earlier in the season but the Demons 84-44 on the road victory was clearly their best of the season.

In the end, the stunning 40 goal victory saw the young South line-up fall less than one%age point out of the top four – the second season in a row they have fallen agonisingly short of a return to finals action.

It was the Gracie Dalton show in the first quarter as the young shooter netted 17 from 19 as the delivery from shooting partner Alyssa Duncan and mid courters Megan Reid and Ruby Richter was bold and pinpoint.

The Bats were missing usual defensive duo of Caeleigh Humphries and Ebany Jarrad, leaving the task of curbing South’s scoring to Tessa Marra and Claire Foster but the South offence was on song and made that task difficult.

Dalton ended up with 52 goals for the game, while Duncan had a perfect 11 from 11 in the second quarter and 10 from 11 in the third to make her own mark on the scoreboard, as well as taking total command of the offensive third.

The drive from Reid and Richter was also critical, as was the constant presenting of an offensive option of Tully McShane, while Ellie Bouchier and Sophie Wight applied plenty of pressure to the Casterton Sandford goalers and created a stack of turnover ball.

Cats shooter Ivy Lane found good space on the baseline and at the post, while the experience of Tori Broomby added a strong voice and some accurate finishing to the line-up, while freeing Madalene Cleary to run the centre also added to the Cats ball movement.

But in the end, the Demons were in control, leading by 10 at the first break, 27 at half time, 25 at three quarter and then produced a dominant 22-7 final quarter.


WEST GAMBIER V EAST GAMBIER


West Gambier did what they had to do at the weekend, returning to the winners list after their first loss of the season and putting together a clinical performance to outshine East Gambier.

The 20 goal victory was set up with a strong first quarter and bookended by a dominant final quarter as the reigning premiers turn their sights to their premiership defence in the 2023 finals series.

Speaking of bookends, it was the Ritter sisters leading the way for the Roos – Sarah having a good battle with Morgan Amy but still having plenty of influence on the contest with her 40 from 50 and Jade getting her hands to plenty of balls and consistently producing turnover ball for her Roo team mates.

The margin was six at quarter time and eight at the main break but the Bulldogs just could not find a way to eat into the deficit and at three quarter time it was an 11 goal game and in the final quarter the Roos showed no mercy and the 13-4 quarter put the result beyond doubt.

Importantly, West goal attack Lisa McGregor again got through unscathed, as did East’s Morgan Amy, meaning both crucial players for their respective teams will be able to play their role in finals.

McGregor had been battling a calf strain and Amy a foot injury.

Heading into this weekend’s knockout first semi final on the back of two losses is not ideal for the Bulldogs but they did spend much of the weekend’s match going two to toe with the reigning premiers.

Amy and Bo Creek were able to apply enough defensive pressure to keep the Roos to a relatively low total, while Eliza Cole continues to impress in the mid court.

Goalers Renee Henke and Casey Horrigan were relatively accurate but clearly need more supply and the final quarter, where east only generated six scoring shots was as much a sign of how strong the Roos are defensively, with Ritter, Amy Cram, Zoe Malseed and Tara Bryant working together to deny opposition time and space to create any easy scoring shots.


MILLICENT V NORTH GAMBIER

It was a battle for the double chance when North Gambier headed to McLaughlin Park to take on Millicent and in the end the Saints earned the top two finish.

The Tigers were missing starting goal attack Macey Griffith but fortunately had talented utility Lauran Norman able to take that bib and while she has not played with Grace Potts before, Norman was certainly a capable replacement.

It was a tight first half with Millicent leading by one at the first change and two at the main break.

The defensive pressure was through the roof from both sides as they looked to deny easy access to the respective sides’ tall shooter – Tabatha Sanderson and Potts.

Their direct opponents, Stella Mobbs and Portia McRae, were doing the best they could to deny access but it was a whole of team project for both sides.

It was in the third the Saints made their move, generating more scoring opportunities and extending that lead to seven.

It was Demi Verbena’s most productive quarter, netting six from eight, on top of what was a four quarter performance of providing pinpoint accurate feeding to Sanderson.

The Tigers just could not find a way to reduce the Saints’ advantage and despite a perfect shooting performance from Potts in the final quarter, Millicent was able to post an 11 goal victory – winning every quarter.

The news was not all good for the Saints with reliable wing attack Daisy Tunkin dislocating her finger in the final quarter but hopes are high with two weeks util Millicent’s second semi final clash with West Gambier, she should be right to go.

Tunkin’s exit saw the mid court rejigged and allowed Kimmi Tincknell into the contest after her month long break.

In the end, both sides would have appreciated the finals like hit out with North now quickly turning their attention to a knock out semi final against East Gambier.