Anticipation for this year’s West Gippsland A Grade finals series has now reached fever pitch after four of the top six teams provided an insight into what’s to come on the weekend.
Dalyston prevailed at Cora Lynn in a physical and demanding match that went all the way down to the wire, while top-of-the-table Korumburra-Bena made the biggest statement of all.
The gap between the Giants and the three-time reigning champion – fourth-placed Inverloch-Kongwak – is a little bigger than we first thought.
It is going to take something monumental for the Sea Eagles to claim a fourth-consecutive premiership after the Giants toyed with them on the weekend.
But let’s start this week’s wrap at Cora Lynn, where Dalyston scored a 34-33 victory over the Cobras in a game where physicality was a key feature of the match.
Scoring was difficult from the outset in this one, with Dalyston showing early defensive intent and taking an 8-6 lead to quarter time.
The Magpies were determined from one end of the court to the other, with defenders Olivia Bramley and Gemma Thomas setting the scene in the circle.
The midcourt pressure of Ruby Brosnan, Kathryn Scott and Mataya Moloney helped Bramley and Thomas to get the job done, while goalers Bella Schmidt and Britt Thomas kept a steady hand when they had to.
But the Cobras haven’t won seven straight games for no reason, and returned fire with an increased velocity in the second term.
The Cobras cut the margin back to one goal at half time, with Brooke Abu-Jaber taking full control of the scoring duties, while Miley Schade provided a lift after changing bibs to Centre.
The game was set for a thrilling second half, the Magpies leading 15-14 after an absorbing first half of netball.
Nothing much changed after the major interval, with an already elevated level of physicality getting raised even further.
The teams couldn’t be split in the second half, scoring 11 and 8 goals respectively in the third and fourth quarters…the Magpies holding on by the skin of their teeth.
This was a big win for Dalyston, who sit fifth but are in this year’s premiership race right up to their ears.
They’ve now defeated two of the top three teams (Korumburra-Bena and Cora Lynn) and pushed Nar Nar Goon to three goals in round 14.
With so much quality on offer; this year’s finals series will be electric and as unpredictable as it has been for the last four years.
Korumburra-Bena is the team to beat this year and stamped its authority and increased its aura with a 47-30 triumph over Inverloch.
The Giants were consistently better for four quarters, nullifying the Sea Eagles’ scoring power with some clean and crisp ball movement and fantastic intercepts across the court.
The Giants have now won 12 on the trot, with upcoming games against Cora Lynn and Nar Nar Goon set to test their mettle.
The only concern for the Giants right now is a round-20 bye, which, when combined with a week-off for finishing top-two in week one of finals, means they won’t have played for 20 days as they head into the second-semi-final.
That’s hardly ideal, but Gemma Dixon has plenty of aces up her sleeves as she prepares for the pointy end of the season.
Dixon and Fiona Burns were terrific for the Giants in defence, while Chelsea Fox, Ash Cuff and Annalise O’Halloran are continuing to gel through the midcourt.
IK will need to turn things around on a tough road-trip to Nar Nar Goon this week.
In other games from the weekend, Phillip Island made it a clean-sweep against Kilcunda-Bass this season, scoring a 48-43 win at Bass, while Garfield ended a 10-game losing streak with a 54-38 success over bottom-placed Warragul Industrials.
The Stars scored their first win since rolling Kooweerup by five goals in round four.
Kooweerup, Nar Nar Goon and Tooradin-Dalmore had the round-16 bye.
