BY NATHAN DOLE
RUNNER-UP in its past two A-grade netball grand finals, Kangaroo Flat will be desperate to make it third time lucky when it faces Gisborne in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL grand final on Saturday.
The Kangaroos and Bulldogs will play at Queen Elizabeth Oval from 3pm.
Across this finals series the Jayden Cowling-coached Kangaroos have already broken several jinxes.
The Roos were staring at a fourth consecutive finals defeat going into a first semi-final against Eaglehawk.
Kangaroo Flat’s finals campaign began with a four-goal loss to Sandhurst in the qualifying final.
The Roos bounced back to beat the Hawks by 33 goals and then fought on to defeat Sandhurst by four goals in the preliminary final.
Belief and confidence are high in the Kangaroos’ camp as they take on the reigning premier.
It was one-all between the Roos and Bulldogs across the home-and-away series.
Many of the league’s superstars will be on court.
Kangaroo Flat centre and captain Chelsea Sartori began grand final week by winning the Betty Thompson Medal as league fairest and best for the second year running.
A Roos’ mid-court that includes Sartori, Ash Ryan and Milly Wicks will play a crucial role.
The Tarryn Rymer-coached Gisborne has the class and experience of Kirby Elliott, Maddy Stewart and Tiana Newman.
Another player to watch in the red, white and blue is Emerson Lakey.
There’s plenty of goalscoring options for the Roos through the play of Chloe Langley, Abbey Ryan and Annie Spear.
They take on a powerful Gisborne defence led by Zoe Davies and Charlee Kemp.
The Kangaroos will need strong defensive games from Stephanie Greene and Ingrid Hopkins against Claudia Mawson and Torie Skrijel.
It’s the first time in Gisborne’s history it plays for back-to-back A-grade premierhips.
The Bulldogs will be aiming to put the 2024 cup alongside those won in ’23 and 13.
Kangaroo Flat is chasing a ninth A-grade title.
Gisborne:
Rylee Connell, Zoe Davies, Kirby Elliott, Charlee Kemp, Emerson Lakey, Claudia Mawson, Tiana Newman, Torie Skrijel, Maddy Stewart, Demi Young.
Coach: Tarryn Rymer.
Kangaroo Flat:
Bronte Deary, Stephanie Greene, Ingrid Hopkins, Chloe Langley, Ave Lowndes, Ashlee O’Shea, Abbey Ryan, Ashley Ryan, Chelsea Sartori, Annie Spear, Milly Wicks, Megan Wilson.
Coach: Jayden Cowling.
Gisborne’s run so far:
Rd 1: bye.
Rd 2: d Sandhurst, 42-38 at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Rd 3: bye.
Rd 4: d South Bendigo, 61-37 at Harry Trott Oval.
Rd 5: d Golden Square, 58-31 at Gardiner Reserve.
Rd 6: d Eaglehawk, 53-25 at Canterbury Park.
Rd 7: d Strathfieldsaye, 40-29 at Gardiner Reserve.
Rd 8: d Castlemaine, 67-53 at Camp Reserve.
Rd 9: lt Kangaroo Flat, 43-49 at Gardiner Reserve.
Rd 10: bye.
Rd 11: d Sandhurst, 42-31 at Gardiner Reserve.
Rd 12: bye.
Rd 13: d South Bendigo, 54-9 at Gardiner Reserve.
Rd 14: d Golden Square, 77-15 at Fur Life Oval.
Rd 15: d Eaglehawk, 67-13 at Gardiner Reserve.
Rd 16: d Strathfieldsaye, 65-26 at Triple M Park.
Rd 17: d Castlemaine, 106-12 at Gardiner Reserve.
Rd 18: d Kangaroo Flat, 53-31 at Dower Park.
2nd semi-final: d Sandhurst, 51-38 at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Kangaroo Flat’s trek:
Rd 1: lt Sandhurst, 39-46 at Dower Park.
Rd 2: bye.
Rd 3: d South Bendigo, 60-27 at Dower Park.
Rd 4: d Golden Square, 90-35 at Fur Life Oval.
Rd 5: d Eaglehawk, 76-15 at Dower Park.
Rd 6: d Strathfieldsaye, 59-31 at Triple M Park.
Rd 7: d Castlemaine, 86-33 at Dower Park.
Rd 8: bye.
Rd 9: d Gisborne, 49-43 at Gardiner Reserve.
Rd 10: lt Sandhurst, 42-47 at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Rd 11: bye.
Rd 12: d South Bendigo, 54-31 at Harry Trott Oval.
Rd 13: d Golden Square, 74-27 at Dower Park.
Rd 14: d Eaglehawk, 75-26 at Canterbury Park.
Rd 15: d Strathfieldsaye, 63-26 at Dower Park.
Rd 16: d Castlemaine, 115-17 at Camp Reserve.
Rd 17: bye.
Rd 18: lt Gisborne, 31-53 at Dower Park.
Qualifying final: lt Sandhurst, 42-46 at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
1st semi-final: d Eaglehawk, 66-33 at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Preliminary final: d Sandhurst, 51-47 at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
In the A-reserve competition, Gisborne takes on Strathfieldsaye from 1.30pm.
The unbeaten Gisborne team coached by Maddy Stewart will start favourite.
The Bulldogs won this season’s matches with Storm by margins of 15 and 22 goals in rounds seven and 16.
After finishing the home-and-away series in second place on a 12-4 record, Storm was beaten in the qualifying final clash with Sandhurst by 11 goals.
Gisborne marked a 43-36 victory against Sandhurst in the second semi-final.
A closely-fought preliminary final between Strathfieldsaye and Sandhurst went the way of the Kirsten Pollock-coached Storm by three goals.
Gisborne
Rylee Connell, Bella Connors, Sammi Cooke, Jemma Denman, Eloise Rodda, Olivia Rodda, Alex Russ, Tarryn Rymer, Polly Salter, Dasha Taylor, Hannah Weier, Demi Young.
Coach: Maddy Stewart.
Strathfieldsaye
Coach: Kirsten Pollock.
Victoria Carroll, Siarne Cass, Steph Freemantle, Ella Henry, Tahlee O’Keefe, Layla O’Shea, Lainey Pollard, Amaya Schmidt, Lucy Spalding, Gabbi Turner, Morgan Whatley.
In B-grade it’s Sandhurst against Gisborne from noon.
Both teams had 14-2 records as they finished the regular season in first and second place.
The Bulldogs beat the Dragons in round two on the QEO court by six goals.
Sandhurst won on Gisborne’s court at Gardiner Reserve in the 11th round by seven goals.
The Dragons began their finals campaign by scoring an 11-goal win against Kangaroo Flat.
A week later and the Jarileey Schultz-coached Sandhurst was first to the grand final as it beat Gisborne in the second semi-final by four goals.
The Polly Salter-coached Gisborne hit back for a 57-38 victory against Kangaroo Flat in the preliminary final.
Sandhurst
Maya Dignan, Tahlia Isaac, Maggie Keating, Tarryn Knights, Kate McDougall, Lucy Sherriff, Lily Trimby, Bridget Turner, Elli Williams.
Coach: Jarileey Schultz.
Gisborne
Georgia Fearn, Shelley Farrugia, Olivia Fenn, Emma Joyce, Emily McDonald, Georgia Murray, Bridget Salter, Reese Sutton, Dasha Taylor, Hannah Weier.
Coach: Polly Salter.
After an unbeaten run to the finals, Sandhurst was beaten in the B-reserve second semi-final clash with Gisborne by five goals.
Stakes are higher as the Dragons and Bulldogs clash on Saturday from 10.30am.
Both of Gisborne’s defeats across the home-and-away series were against Sandhurst by 13 and 18 goals.
The Briannah Thompson-coached Gisborne played brilliant netball to win the qualifying final against Strathfieldsaye by 37 goals and then beat Sandhurst a week later.
A Sandhurst line-up coached by Rose Gallagher stayed in the premiership race as it beat Strathfieldsaye in the preliminary final by 17 goals.
Gisborne
Kirsten Andrich, Brooke Bernacki, Charlotte Crook, Ellie Lord, Nirvana Martin, Sapphy McCarthy, Rebecca Merrett, Lily Prater, Taylah Ranieri, Niamh Rosendale, Brianah Thompson, Caytlyn Walker.
Coach: Briannah Thompson.
Sandhurst
Jess Baird, Bec Dine, Lucia Dyer, Briona Giddings, Sophie Giles, Kelsey Hamilton, Chloe Hann, Matilda Lockyer, Ava Perez, Ruby Walsh.
Coach: Rose Gallagher.
First-up on grand final day will be the 17-and-under teams from Sandhurst and Golden Square.
Their showdown will start at 9am.
Both dominated across the regular season for 15-1 records to be first and second.
The Carol Cathcart-coached Dragons won the round six match on Golden Square’s court in Fur Life Oval by 27 goals.
It was a two-goal thriller at the QEO in the 15th round as the Clare Hope-coached Bulldogs claimed a 49-47 victory.
After a 10-goal win against Maryborough in the qualifying final, Golden Square could not stop Sandhurst’s run to a 60-39 victory in the second semi-final.
The blue and gold marked a 19-goal win against Strathfieldsaye in the preliminary final.
Sandhurst
Tshari Brown, Charlie Coghill, Tahli Gilchrist, Lila Kelly, Claire McGee, Diana Napoleon, Meg Pearce, Neve Pinner, Jaida Raco, Milla Sherriff, Harriett Whiteacre.
Coach: Carol Cathcart.
Golden Square
Anya Basilewsky, Natalie Flood, Rachael Flood, Juliet Hogan, Lilly Hope, Emma Keating, Tess Mills, Kaylah Moon, Lucy Paton, Larni Taylor, Abbi Wells.
Coach: Clare Hope.