BY NATHAN DOLE
Roos strive to break Dragons’ hoodoo
THE Roos from Kangaroo Flat will be striving to end Sandhurst’s hoodoo whey clash in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL’s A-grade netball preliminary final on Saturday.
The Kangaroos and Dragons will play from 3.20pm at Queen Elizabeth Oval in View Street in a clash to decide who faces Gisborne in the grand final.
All three previous meetings between the teams since this season have gone the way of the Tamara Gilchrist-coached Sandhurst.
Each time the Jayden Cowling-coached Kangaroos have reduced the deficit.
In round one, Sandhurst won 46-39 on the Kangaroos’ court in Dower Park.
Another great battle in the 10th round ended in a 47-42 for the maroon and blue at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Day one of the Bendigo FNL finals series included the qualifying final showdown between Sandhurst and Kangaroo Flat which went the way of the Dragons, 46-42.
Last Saturday it was Sandhurst against Gisborne in a rematch of the ’23 grand finalists in the second semi-final.
The Tarryn Rymer-coached Gisborne showed it will be tough to stop in its charge toward back-to-back premierships as it marked a 51-38 victory.
Key players in Sandhurst’s quest to contest another grand final include Heather Oliver and Bec Smith in attack, Shae Clifford in mid-court, and Ruby Turner in defence.
Gun defender Charlotte Sexton did not play in the second semi-final.
Kangaroo Flat dominated most of the second half against Eaglehawk to win the first semi-final by 33 goals.
Mid-court duels will be a highlight.
A player to watch is Kangaroo Flat centre and 2023 Betty Thompson medallist, Chelsea Sartori.
Kangaroo Flat has Annie Spear and Abbey Ryan as key targets in attack, Milly Wicks at wing defence, and Steph Greene in defence.
In A-reserve, Sandhurst takes on Strathfieldsaye from 2pm.
A big week for Strathfieldsaye began with gun goaler Lucy Spalding announced as joint winner of the Jenni Holborn Medal with Kangaroo Flat’s Emma Moroney as league fairest and best in Monday night’s league vote count on Radio Fresh fm 101.5.
Now the target for Spalding and her Storm team-mates will be on defeating the Dragons to earn a grand final berth against Gisborne.
Margins of three and a goal separated the Dragons and Storm in the home-and-away series.
Sandhurst won 38-35 on Storm’s court at Triple M Park in the eighth round.
In round 17 it was Strathfieldsaye which beat the Dragons, 45-44 at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
They met again in the qualifying final which went Sandhurst’s way, 45-34.
The Dragons were beaten in the second semi-final clash with Gisborne by seven goals.
Storm charged to a 51-41 win against Maryborough in the first semi-final.
In B-grade, Gisborne takes on Kangaroo Flat from 12.40pm.
A player to watch will be Gisborne’s Emma Joyce who was runner-up to Castlemaine’s Shae Denahy for the Carol Bingham Medal as league fairest and best.
It’s one-all in this season’s matches between the Bulldogs and Kangaroos.
Gisborne won the round nine match on its Gardiner Reserve court by 17 goals.
The Kangaroos bounced back for a 40-31 victory at Dower Park in the 18th round.
After finishing the regular season with a 14-2 record and on top of the ladder, Gisborne was beaten, 50-46 in the second semi-final clash with Sandhurst.
Kangaroo Flat bounced back from a 45-34 loss to Sandhurst in the qualifying final to win the first semi against Strathfieldsaye by four goals.
It will be Sandhurst against Strathfieldsaye in the B-reserve match from 11.20am.
An unbeaten run by the Dragons in the home-and-away series included a 56-34 result at Strathfieldsaye’s Triple M Park in round eight, and 45-35 win against Storm at the QEO in the 17th round.
The Dragons will be fired up after a 50-45 loss to Gisborne in last Saturday’s second semi-final.
Storm overcame a 37-goal loss to Gisborne on day one of the finals series in the qualifying final to beat Kangaroo Flat by three goals in the first semi-final.
Among the players to watch is Strathfieldsaye’s Chelsea Crapper who was runner-up to Gisborne’s Taylah Ranieri for the league fairest and best medal.
Preliminary final day begins with the 17-and-under match between Golden Square and Strathfieldsaye from 10am.
The Bulldogs’ run to a 15-1 record in the home-and-away series included a 49-43 win against Storm in round two at Fur Life Oval in Golden Square’s Wade Street.
Round 11 included a 47-30 win by the blue and gold on Storm’s court at Triple M Park in Tannery Lane.
After a 10-goal win against Maryborough in the qualifying final, Golden Square went down 39-60 against Sandhurst in the second semi-final.
Strathfieldsaye has made its way from a 59-56 win against Gisborne in the elimination final.
Storm fought on for a 61-59 victory in the first semi-final showdown with Maryborough.
Schedule for Bendigo FNL netball preliminary finals on Saturday at Queen Elizabeth Oval in View Street:
17-and-under at 10am: Golden Square v Strathfieldsaye.
B-reserve at 11.20am: Sandhurst v Strathfieldsaye.
B-grade at 12.40pm: Gisborne v Kangaroo Flat.
A-reserve at 2pm: Sandhurst v Strathfieldsaye.
A-grade at 3.20pm: Sandhurst v Kangaroo Flat.