BY NATHAN DOLE
Ultima tackles Wandella in preliminary final
ULTIMA or Wandella will win their way into the Golden Rivers senior footy grand final when they meet in Saturday’s preliminary final.
Runner-up last season, Ultima will be fighting to earn its place in a grand final rematch with Hay on September 7 in the den of the Hay Lions.
To do so the Kangaroos must beat the Bombers.
Ultima will have home-ground advantage when the match starts at 2.40pm at Ultima Recreation Reserve.
The Kangaroos are unbeaten in all three meetings with Wandella this season.
First-up was in round two where Ultima won 138-76 in the Bombers’ hangar at Wandella.
Next two hit-outs have been at Ultima where the Roos won by 80 points in round seven, and by 37 in the 12th round.
The Kangaroos will be determined to bounce back after a 101-52 loss to Hay in the second semi-final played at Wandella.
Best for Ultima against the Lions were Ricky Wild, Lincoln Frost, captain Mitchell Seton-Stewart and Kyle Symons.
The Kangaroos line-up to take on the Bombers includes Ryan Devereux who has kicked 59 goals; Matt Taverna, .Mitch and Tyler Makepeace, Caillum Brady, Cameron Johnson, Jye Purtill and Ryan Featherby.
Wandella stayed in the premiership race as it beat Macorna by 99 points in the first semi-final at Murrabit.
Best for the Bombers against the Blues were Kaine O’Connell, Sam Taylor, Adam McKenzie and Archer Lancaster.
Wandella’s team bound for Ultima includes co-captains Logan Keighran and Tim Robinson, John Cooper and Adam Ward.
Leading goalkickers for the Bombers are Justin Robinson, 29 goals, and Michael Rowe, 28.
In the reserves competition, Murrabit takes on Hay from 12.35pm.
The winner will meet Ultima in the grand final.
Murrabit is on the rebound from a one-goal loss to the Kangaroos in the second semi-final.
Hay beat Macorna in the first semi-final by 46 points.
This season’s meetings stand at three-one in Murrrabit’s favour.
The Blues won in round one by 51 points; round six by 95 points; and round 11 by a goal.
Hay won the round 16 showdown by 19 points.
It will be Wandella against Ultima in the under-17 ½ preliminary final from 10.45am.
Winner progresses to the grand final against Macorna.
The second semi-final went Macorna’s way, 72-40 against Wandella.
Ultima dominated the first semi-final to score a 135-6 victory against Hay.
The Bombers have won all three previous matches against the Kangaroos by margins of 23, one, and 20 points.
Preliminary final day kicks off at 9.35am when Hay and Wandella meet in the under-14 ½ match.
The Hay Lions are on the rebound from a 29-25 loss to Murrabit in the second semi-final.
Wandella marked an 81-7 win against Macorna in the first semi-final.
It’s two-one in Hay’s favour against Wandella this season.
The Lions won 29-15 in round five, and 49-34 at Wandella in the 10th round.
Latest meeting was the 15th round where the Bombers marked a 65-40 victory on their turf.
Four of the league’s six clubs feature in Saturday’s netball preliminary finals.
Schedule for the day’s action on the netball courts:
17-and-under at 10am, court 1: Hay v Murrabit.
14-and-under at 11.20am, court 2: Hay v Moulamein.
B-reserve at 11.20am, court 1: Murrabit v Ultima.
C-grade at 12.40pm, court 2: Murrabit v Hay.
B-grade at 12.40pm, court one: Ultima v Hay.
A-grade at 2pm, court one: Ultima v Hay.
Teams through to the grand finals at Hay on September 7 are Murrabit, A-grade, B-grade, 14-and-under; Hay, B-reserve; Ultima, 17-and-under; and Wandella, C-grade.