Six teams in race for 2017 title
The wait is over! After a competitive 2017 Horsham District Football Netball League A Grade season, six teams are hoping to reward five months of effort with a premiership title.
While minor premier Laharum and Harrow-balmoral will enjoy a week off, four teams will launch their finals campaigns at the weekend.
The action kicks off at Beulah on Saturday, with third-placed Natimuk United to meet sixthplaced Edenhope-apsley.
On Sunday, fourth-placed Southern Mallee Giants will go head-to-head with NoradjuhaQuantong, which finished the season in fifth.
Going off last week’s results, Edenhope-apsley is going to need to work extremely hard to stay in finals contention when it meets the Ewes. Natimuk United cruised to a 33-goal victory and will be confident of an elimination final win this week.
Edenhope-apsley will be well aware of the mountainous challenge that awaits. Defender Cynthia Watt, who is probably the Saints’ best player, will get the job on Ewes shooter Shannon Couch.
While Edenhope-apsley’s defence is its biggest asset, the team lacks the strength and depth of the Ewes across the court.
The Saints will be competitive but their season has been hampered by player injuries and unavailability and they will not have what it takes to overcome the experienced finals campaigner.
The Bombers had a horror day against Laharum in the final match of the home-andaway season and will look to return to the form they know they are capable of when they meet the Giants.
The Bombers would have been disappointed with the result but cannot afford to dwell on it when they meet what several district league followers have labelled the ‘dark horse’ of this year’s competition.
A lot of interest surrounds Southern Mallee Giants and how far it will go in the chase for the flag.
The relative newcomer had a disappointing end to its debut season but is strong across all lines this year – and is the only team to outplay Laharum in 2017.
The Bombers and Giants played out a thriller in round 13, with Noradjuha-quantong winning by two goals.
Both teams boast accurate shooters, strong defenders and speedy and agile midcourters.
This match is hard to call and will come down to whichever team wants it more on the day.
Expect another nail-biter that goes down to the wire.
Round-16 results: Southern Mallee Giants d Kalkee 5646, Harrow-balmoral d Taylors Lake 76-16, Pimpinio d Jeparit-rainbow 72-42, Laharum d Noradjuha-quantong 48-19, Natimuk United d Edenhope-apsley 54-21, Rupanyup d Swifts 55-50.
Ladder: Laharum 60 points, Harrow-balmoral 52, Natimuk United 52, Southern Mallee Giants 48, Noradjuha-quantong 48, Edenhope-apsley 32, Rupanyup 24, Kalkee 24, Pimpinio 24, Swifts 16, Jeparit-rainbow 4, Taylors Lake 0.