BY NATHAN DOLE
Colbinabbin braces for Demons’ heat
COLBINABBIN will be ready to face the heat from the Winslow White Hills Demons in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL’s A-grade netball preliminary final on Saturday in Toolleen.
Not only are the Grasshoppers and Demons striving for a place in the grand final, White Hills will be desperate to bounce back from one its worst hit-outs in many seasons.
On week two of the finals series, White Hills was outgunned by Elmore in the second semi-final at Heathcote’s Pigeon Park.
Although it had finished with a win-loss tally of 13-1 and two draws to be top of the ladder, White Hills could not halt Elmore’s run to a 64-40 victory.
A day after the Demons were demolished, Colbinabbin marked a 58-38 victory in the first semi-final against Leitchville Gunbower at the Scott Street ground in White Hills.
Now the Demons and Grasshoppers meet at 2.30pm on Saturday at Toolleen Recreation Reserve.
It’s one-all in this season’s meetings.
Just two goals separated them in round four when the Lauren Bowles-coached White Hills won 61-59 in Scott Street.
A 56-48 victory for Colbinabbin at M.J. Morgan Oval in the 13th round was the sole defeat for White Hills across the home-and-away series.
Chasing back-to-back premierships, White Hills has the skill and experience of Eliza Hynes, Molly Johnston, Sarah Nash and Danni Wee Hee.
The Jen McIntyre-coached Colbinabbin began the finals series with a 56-57 loss to Elmore in the qualifying final at Lockington.
Grasshoppers’ goal attack Ella Kerlin polled 22 votes to be joint runner-up with Leitchville Gunbower’s Ava Hamilton in the race for the Esther Cheatley Medal as the league’s fairest and best player.
The medal was claimed by Heathcote centre Brooke Bolton who scored 24 votes to claim the medal for a third time.
Key players for Colbinabbin include Kasey Conder at wing attack, and goalshooter Matilda McIntyre.
In the A-reserve competition, White Hills will take on Elmore from 1pm.
It’s one-all in this season’s meetings between the Demons and Bloods.
In round six, Elmore won 45-30 at White Hills.
The Demons struck back for a 41-34 victory in the 15th round on Elmore’s court.
Elmore bounced back from a six-goal loss to Huntly in the qualifying final to score a 40-32 win against Lockington Bamawm United in the first semi-final.
The Demons’ finals campaign began with a 34-39 loss to Huntly in the second semi-final.
The Harlowe Huntly Hawks will face White Hills in the B-grade preliminary final at 10am.
These teams met in the qualifying final where the Hawks marked a 36-23 victory.
Last weekend, Huntly was beaten by Leitchville Gunbower by 17 goals as White Hills fought for a 57-56 victory against Lockington Bamawm United in the first semi-final.
The White Hills team includes league fairest and best winner, Hollie Davidson.
It’s the Cats against the Hawks as Lockington Bamawm United and Huntly contest the B-reserve preliminary final from 11.30am.
LBU scored a 38-36 win against Huntly in the qualifying final after the Hawks had won their previous two meetings by eight and 12 goals.
The Cats went down to White Hills in the second semi-final by 24 goals.
Huntly won the first semi-final against Mount Pleasant by 10 goals.
The 17-and-under preliminary features Lockington Bamawm United and Huntly from 8.45am.
A goal was the margin when they met in the qualifying final which went LBU’s way, 34-33.
Huntly hit back to win the first semi-final against Elmore by 10 goals.
The Cats are on the rebound from a 16-goal loss to Mount Pleasant in the second semi-final.
LBU’s line-up includes Remee Christian who was joint runner-up in the league fairest and best award.
The 15-and-under preliminary final involves White Hills and Huntly at 10am.
The Demons beat the Hawks by two and 14 goals in the home-and-away series.
After a 38-34 win against LBU in the qualifying final, White Hills played the Blues from Mount Pleasant in the second semi-final.
A great match went the Blues’ way, 54-48.
Huntly is on a winning streak.
The Hawks marked an eight-goal win against Elmore in the elimination final and then beat LBU by a goal in the first semi-final.
Lockington Bamawm United will play Elmore in the 13-and-under preliminary final from 8.45am on court two.
The Cats defeated the Bloods by eight and nine goals in rounds eight and 18.
LBU won the qualifying final against Huntly by 14 goals, but is on the rebound from a 28-20 loss to Leitchville Gunbower in the second semi.
Elmore started its finals campaign with a 48-14 win against Heathcote in the elimination final and followed up with a 10-goal win against Huntly in the first semi.
The Bloods’ line-up includes Brydie Anderson who was runner-up in the league fairest and best award.
Schedule for Saturday’s preliminary finals at Toolleen:
13-and-under at 8.45am, court two: Lockington Bamawm United v Elmore.
17-and-under at 8.45am, court one: Lockington Bamawm United v Huntly.
15-and-under at 10am, court two: White Hills v Huntly.
B-grade at 10am, court one: Huntly v White Hills.
B-reserve at 11.30am, court one: Lockington Bamawm United v Huntly.
A-reserve at 1pm, court one: White Hills v Elmore.
A-grade at 2.30pm, court one: White Hills v Colbinabbin.