BY NATHAN DOLE
A SHOWDOWN between Murrabit and Macorna for the A-grade title highlights this Saturday’s netball grand finals in the Golden Rivers FNL.
The Blues have home-court advantage at Murrabit when they take on the Tigers from 12.15pm.
Although it was beaten in two of three matches leading into the finals, Murrabit hit form in the second semi against Macorna.
The Blues won 56-45 on Ultima’s court.
Just three weeks earlier, Macorna had marked a 42-41 win at home against the Blues in the 14th round.
The following week the Blues were beaten by Ultima, 36-31, and in the 18th round held on for a one-goal win against Moulamein.
It was not the richest vein form shown by the Blues, but they lifted on day two of the finals series to be first into the A-grade grand final.
After the second semi defeit, Macorna hit back to win last Saturday’s preliminary final againt Moulamein.
The Tigers won 53-42 on their court.
Massive test for the yellow and black to beat the Blues, but they will have gained plenty of confidence from beating Murrabit in the 14th round.
Previous two clashes had gone Murrabit’s way, 44-33 at Macorna in round five, and 48-35 at Murrabit in the ninth round.
Murrabit:
Jess Bray, Mila Bray, Ashea Bujdoso, Grace Gillingham, Montana Keating, Erin McKean, Lauren Morrow, Tyler O’Toole, Sarah Perry, Mary Yates-Ward.
Macorna:
Shamana Bacon, Erin Delanhunty, Kara Farrell, Asela Finch, Holly Griffiths, Leah Lacy, Brielle O’Meara, Emily Robins, Cat Whinfield, April Wishart, Emmalea Wishart.
It will be Murrabit against Macorna in the B-grade grand final at 1.45pm.
A 38-34 win against Moulamein in the second semi put Murrabit into the season decider.
A great run by Macorna began with a 40-26 victory against Ultima in the first semi, and then a 34-29 victory against Moulamein in last Saturday’s preliminary final.
All three of this season’s clashes between the Tigers and Blues have gone Murrabit’s way by margins of 12, nine and seven goals.
Murrabit:
Georgia Andrew-Mills, Jess Bray, Mila Bray, Taylah Collier, Erica Cummins, Jo Danson, Codie Laursen, Tyler O’Toole, Sarah Perry, Jessie Teasdale.
Macorna:
Cora Borchard, Jodie Bruce-Jobling, Ellie Burt, Hannah Dee, Haylee Forster, Kara Farrell, Lee Hardie, Madison Hoare, Leah Lacy, Brielle O’Meara, Sherri Sutherland, Jasmine Williams.
Hay takes on Murrabit in the B-reserve grand final from 3.15pm.
An 18th consecutive victory by Hay will complete an unbeaten season by the Lions.
In the second semi, Hay marked a 66-53 win against Ultima.
Murrabit started its finals campaign with a 52-35 victory against Macorna in the first semi.
The Blues beat Ultima by a goal in the preliminary final.
Hay has won this season’s clashes with Murrabit by 22, 17 and 21 goals.
Hay:
Kylie Brettschnider, Talitha Brown, Emily Caughey, Kate Digby, Kirsten Hutchings, Trish Jamieson, Leonnie Laracy, Kate Moran, Sophie Tapper, Jess Weymouth.
Murrabit:
Georgia Andrew-Mills, Carly Brownlow, Georgia Carse, Taylah Collier, Nicole Henry, Evie McKnight, Lyla Morton, Jess Morrow, Teish Nethercote, Tori Smith, Jessie Teasdale, Jo Yard, xx
It’s a showdown between the Kangaroos and Lions as Ultima meets Hay in the 17-and-under grand final at 10.45am.
When these clubs met in the second semi it was the Kangaroos who dominated in a 69-33 result.
Hay hit back for a 44-35 victory in the preliminary final against Wandella.
This season’s record between Ultima and Hay stands at three wins by Ultima, and a draw.
In rounds one, seven and 11 the Roos netted wins by margins of eight, 12 and 12 goals.
Scores were 42-all at the end of the round 16 match on Ultima’s court.
Ultima:
Ella Atkin, Amalie Bell, Isis Davison, Indi Grey, Scarlet Grey, Finlay Hender, Jayda Kelly, Molly McGowan, Madison McCann, Indi O’Brien.
Hay:
Poppy Barnes, Emily Caughey, Ella Harrison, Emily Hill, Sienna Lund, Kodi Scott, Lucy Shea, Sophie Tapper, Emily Taylor.
Grand final day will start with the 14-and-under match between Murrabit and Ultima from 9.15am.
Most recent meeting was the second semi-final where Murrabit won 44-31 on Ultima’s court.
The Kangaroos bounced back for a 41-39 victory against Hay in the preliminary final.
It’s a 2-1 record in favour of Murrabit from this season’s matches against Ultima in the home-and-away series.
The Roos won 33-19 at Murrabit in round four, but the Blues outplayed Ultima for a 36-25 result in the 10th round.
A great contest in the 15th round at Murrabit ended in a 41-38 win for the Kangaroos.
Murrabit:
Macy Bray, Georgia Carse, Ella Henry, Maddi Keath, Freya Kennedy, Milla Kennedy, Eliza Maher, Alexis McKnight, Lyla Morton, Ivy Shea, Sadie Spitty.
Ultima:
Ella Atkin, Charli Conway, Ivy Frost, Scarlet Grey, Macklyn Hender, Elektra Hyland, Kiana O’Brien, Reeve O’Toole, Emily Polkinghorne.