By David Nagel
An amazing home-and-away season of WGFNC A Grade netball comes to a close on Saturday; and there are still many questions left unanswered.
Starting at the top, can Inverloch-Kongwak make it back-to-back undefeated seasons – and claim an incredible 40 wins on the trot – when it makes the trip to Bunyip?
It’s worth remembering the Bulldogs were the last team to topple the Sea Eagles back in the second semi-final of 2022; on Saturday 27 August.
But the answer to our first question is a resounding yes…the Sea Eagles will once again go through undefeated as they prepare for an unprecedented tilt at three-consecutive flags!
Questions Two is a little bit harder to answer.
Will it be Dalyston or Tooradin-Dalmore that finish second on the ladder, and earn a coveted double chance, after the Magpies and Seagulls collide at Dalyston?
Tooradin currently sits second, but are just half a game clear of this week’s opponent; who can snatch second place with victory.
These two had a cracking contest at Tooradin back in round seven with the Seagulls winning by four goals.
The Gulls have since won eight of their next 10 games, with players like Abbey Howes, Chloe Phillips, Ebony Dolan, Sara Howie and Jess Maher putting their club in a strong position to challenge.
Dalyston will be tough this week; coming off a strong win against Kooweerup, with Britt, Gemma and Jarney Thomas, Mataya Maloney and Ruby Brosnan all playing like absolute legends.
This one will be a beauty; but we’ll go the home-court advantage to get the Magpies across the line and earn a day off in week one of finals.
The answer to Question Two: Dalyston.
It’s now time for the $1million question; who out of Cora Lynn, Kooweerup, Nar Nar Goon and Korumburra-Bena will squeeze into the remaining two places for finals?
Cora Lynn is in the enviable position of having its destiny in its own hands, with the fifth-placed Cobras only needing to win to cement a top-six finish.
The problem is, they come up against fourth-placed Kilcunda-Bass, who downed the Cobras by three goals back in round nine.
Playing finals would be a remarkable achievement for Cora Lynn, who has not been near the mark in recent seasons.
The addition of players like Brooke Abu-Jaber and Paige Brooks-MacMillan has certainly helped, while the defensive unit of Danielle Cameron and Annabel Sheppard has also paved the way.
Kilcunda-Bass is a class unit, but lack the motivation this week that the desperate Cobras might have.
The Panthers will finish either third or fourth on the ladder – that’s locked in – and could even rest a player or two if the Panthers were that way inclined!
Cora Lynn will need to stop the impact of Panthers’ middle-third dynamo Kacey Maund, who receives wonderful support from Grace Rand and Sophie Baker through the midcourt.
The Cobras will lock down fifth place with a gritty and grinding two goal win.
That leaves three teams; Kooweerup, Nar Nar Goon and Korumburra-Bena to battle it out for sixth place.
The Goon looks the safest bet of that lot; and should win over Phillip Island, leaving the clash between the Demons and Giants at Denhams Road to decide their finals destiny.
If things roll as predicted, the Goon will need eighth-placed Korumburra to defeat sixth-placed Kooweerup and the Goon would leapfrog the Demons into sixth place.
And it’s a dream that could quite easily become reality, with the Giants rolling the Demons by a convincing 10 goals; not that long ago in round nine.
Here’s how our final prediction; our final answer to some difficult questions plays out.
Kooweerup will win, but only narrowly, meaning Nar Nar Goon will need to put roughly a 30-goal margin on Phillip Island to make a last-ditched play for sixth spot.
It will come down to the wire; and we’re predicting less than one percent will make the difference at the conclusion of play on Saturday.
It’s the Goon to defeat Phillip Island by plenty and break Kooweerup hearts.
Final Ladder predictions: Inverloch-Kongwak 72, Dalyston 52, Tooradin-Dalmore 50, Kilcunda-Bass 46, Cora Lynn 44, Nar Nar Goon 42/ Kooweerup 42, Korumburra-Bena 36, Garfield 16, Bunyip 16, Phillip Island 12, Warragul Industrials 4.
