The Latrobe Valley’s three netball teams took one further step toward playing finals last weekend, as the penultimate round of the Gippsland League was played.
Round 17 action was highlighted by big wins to Morwell and Traralgon, while Moe had a thrilling draw against Leongatha.
The Lions match against a fellow top-three side lived up to expectation, and come the final whistle, scores could not be separated.
Momentum ebbed and flowed throughout the contest, but in the end, the points had to be split as the scoreboard read 45 apiece.
The Qualifying Final between the Parrots and Lions in a fortnight’s time is shaping as an epic encounter to determine who gets the right to play Morwell for a place in the decider.
In the drawn game, Emma Sculley was best-on-court for Moe, while Taylah Brown and Lauren Redpath were best for the visiting Leongatha.
The Lions look to be playing some strong netball at the right time of year, which has been helped immensely by the form of its B Grade team.
Moe has also sewn-up a double-chance in B Grade, and defeated the top side at the weekend.
The team used the week off recently to play a practice match against Ellinbank and District club Trafalgar, and the decision looks to have served its purpose.
The Lions, actually everyone’s, main challenger, Morwell, had another emphatic win.
The Tigers destroyed Drouin 54 to 19.
With an outside chance of making finals, the Hawks were quickly taught just how the best in the business do it.
Morwell should wrap-up a dominant home-and-away campaign when it plays Sale this Saturday, before putting its feet up during the first week of finals.
Traralgon will finish the regular season in fourth.
Finals are like Christmas for the Maroons in netball – they come around every year.
Traralgon dispatched Sale with relative ease at the weekend, winning 57 to 32.
Netball was forced to reshuffle at Sale Oval due to lighting, which led to matches being played indoors at Gippsland Regional Sports Complex.
The Maroons will look to fine-tune against Maffra in a few days’ time, and then take on Wonthaggi in a cutthroat Elimination Final.
The Power won easily against Bairnsdale on the road.
Wonthaggi was never troubled, and won 83 to 20.
The Redlegs have one more game to avoid claiming the ‘golden basement’, given to those who go through an entire season without winning a game.
In the remaining game, Maffra got up in a thriller over Warragul, winning 39 to 37.
WOODSIDE got back to business in the last round of North Gippsland netball.
Having lost what 99.95 per cent of people in local netball circles thought was an unlosable game against Cowwarr last week, the Wildcats made sure a repeat would not happen when they played Churchill.
Woodside will take the minor premiership and a win into the finals after defeating the Cougars 51 to 35.
Layla Blair played well for Churchill.
The end of the season could not have come quick enough for the Cougars, who fell away dramatically after a promising start to the year.
Player availability took a hit during the season, which led the side to finish a disappointing seventh.
The Wildcats ended the home-and-away season six points clear of Glengarry on top.
The Magpies took on Rosedale in the last round, in what was effectively a dress rehearsal for the Qualifying Final.
As fate would have it, the game ended in a 43-all draw, which means the final in a few days’ time should be hotly contested.
The draw cost Sale City a double-chance. The Bulldogs defeated Cowwarr 45 to 24, but missed a place in the top three by just two points.
Sale City will now take on Yarram, fresh off a bye, in the Elimination Final.
In other games, Heyfield and Traralgon Tyers United ended their seasons with a win.
The Kangaroos defeated Gormandale and the Bombers won against Yallourn Yallourn North.
Shellby Carr and Samira Heffernan played well for the Jets.
EAST Gippsland action saw Stratford and Boisdale-Briagolong each record wins in the last round.
The Swans got up in a one-goal thriller against Lakes Entrance, and the Bombers won 55 to 34 against Lucknow.
Both sides will play finals this weekend.
Boisdale-Briagolong takes on Wy Yung for a place in the grand final, while Stratford faces Lakes Entrance for the second time in as many weeks.
