Last minute entry
Kaniva-leeor United secured its sixth spot and a finals booking with a win in the last round of the home-and-away season. It took a nine-goal win against Harrow-balmoral, who the Cougars saw as only sixthspot placeholders, to get them over the line. The Cougars would have qualified fourth in 2021 if finals had gone ahead, so to have missed the 2022 contest would have been a disappointing return to restriction-free netball, even if by the stats it was a more mixed year than last. The Cougars lost in round one to Kalkee before a string of wins against quality opposition. A 17-goal defeat of Jeparit-rainbow and a 12-goal win against Harrow-balmoral were victories against tough opponents and against sides joining them this finals series, while a 13-goal loss to Noradjuha-quantong seems a fair result given the Bombers’ strength again in 2022. With the rise of Edenhope-apsley and Kalkee in 2022, the Cougars, all things being equal, were pushed towards the fringes of the top six within only 12 months of netball. Within this new playing field, the Cougars defeated the sides they were expected to defeat and lost to sides expected to beat them. With good recent form against Harrow-balmoral, the Cougars took control of the round-16 elimination game early on and led the Southern Roos by 13-goals at half time.
With the Southern Roos aware a finals berth was on the line, and with significant players sidelined for the match, some comeback was launched; but the Cougars, aware of the trick, held onto its half-time lead until the final whistle.
Cougars’ shooter Abby Croft was mammoth again, while Brodie Chaston won accolades for her centre-court run in wing-defence.
The Cougars have a mixed record against their elimination-final opponents Edenhopeapsley and will have to find something they have not yet found this season to move deeper into the series – a way to beat the Saints.
The Saints got the better of the Cougars by six goals in round nine and by 46 goals later in round 14 – a margin Cougars leaders would be disappointed with. They have a chance to make amends at Natimuk on Sunday.
Netball club president Hailee Witmitz told The Weekly Advertiser pre-season the club would start 2022 with a similar team to last season and emphasised it would be club culture that would propel them forward.
“Our culture has been the best it has ever been and there certainly is a positive vibe around the group,” she said.
It might be the side who knows each other best that comes out a winner off and on the court this weekend, and on this matter, the Cougars might have an edge. A win on Sunday would be a just reward for 2022 and 2021.