HAWKS STICK WITH TRIED AND TRUE AS TITLE CALLS
THE Tasmanian Netball League wraps up on Saturday with the Northern Hawks taking on Cripps Waratah in the 2022 grand final at the Silverdome.
Hawks are the favourites for the clash, remaining unbeaten and sitting on top of the ladder throughout the season.
Despite this, Cripps have been showcasing a strong winning momentum in the lead up to finals, defeating last season’s premiership-winning Cavs 55-42 in last weekend’s semi-final. Hawks will take advantage of their experience across the squad, and the dominant gameplay they have displayed this year.
Head coach Kellie Woolnough acknowledged the importance of staying true to their structures and focus on the basics in order to come out on top.
“It will be an extremely competitive match and we will need to play our brand of netball to ensure we provide opportunities to the attack end.”
Cripps have sat in third-place for the majority of the season, and will be utilising their trademark tenacity and creativity across the court to prevail over Hawks.
Cripps coach, Aaron Pidgeon, emphasised the team’s imperative to maintain a cohesive and disciplined effort from the first whistle.
“We are focusing more on playing our best netball than we are on trying to pick apart what the opposition will do.
“If we can play as well as we did last week then we are confident we have what it takes to win; but we know it’s going to require a disciplined, intense, courageous, effort of no less than the full 60 minutes.”
This year marks the seventh consecutive appearance in the grand final for Hawks, who last claimed the title of premier in 2020, while Cripps last played in a grand final, and hoisted the trophy, in 2014.
In the under-19 grand final, Cripps will take on Devon for the second year in a row, also at the Silverdome.
Saturday’s U19 clash commences at 2pm, while Opens will hit the court at 4pm.