Panthers stoked for last-round triumph
Rupanyup left it until the last round to record its first A Grade win of the season in Horsham District league – a two-goal win against Swifts at North Park, Stawell, at the weekend.
The Panthers, having collected points throughout the year because of a fixturing against an A Grade-absent Taylors Lake, found something special within themselves to end the season on a high.
Level with the Swifts at quarter time, in front by four and then by five goals at half and three-quarter times, the Panthers held onto their lead during the last quarter.
It was the Panthers’ best chance of the season to sing the song and they must have known it; especially given they were within two goals at three-quarter time during their last encounter with the Swifts in round four, before letting the margin blow out during the final term.
There is nothing like heading into the spring and summer breaks with a win after a tough year of netball.
However, the feeling would not have been so sweet for Harrow-balmoral, who let go of a finals spot with a loss against Kaniva-leeor United at Kaniva.
It was a simple equation for the Southern Roos and Cougars – win and play finals, or loss and miss out. A win would have even given the Southern Roos, who started the round in sixth, the opportunity to jump to fifth spot, but the Cougars seized the moment and jumped them convincingly in the first half.
The margin was never clawed back, and the Cougars kept the Southern Roos at arm’s reach all afternoon to win by nine goals, earning them sixth spot and a 2022 season extension.
It would be amiss to not mention Harrow-balmoral had several significant outs at the weekend, but that would not have bothered the Cougars who claimed the four points.
The loss and its implications would hurt Southern Roos players, who were third when the 2021 season was cancelled.
It’s a big drop-off for 12 months of netball and the campaign at Harrow-balmoral to be safely back inside the top six by the mid-way point of 2023, followers might expect, would start early this pre-season.
The Cougars join this season’s other elimination-final contestants in preparing for this weekend’s games, with the Cougars to face Edenhope-apsley at Edenhope on Saturday and Noradjuha-quantong to play Jeparit-rainbow at Natimuk on Sunday.
Kalkee and Laharum have a week off before they play each other in week two of the finals. This week: Edenhope-apsley v Kaniva-leeor United at Edenhope, 3pm on Saturday; Noradjuha-quantong v Jeparit-rainbow at Natimuk, 3pm on Sunday. Last week: Rupanyup 42 d Swifts 40, Noradjuha-quantong 62 d Pimpinio 35, Edenhope-apsley 65 d Natimuk United 29, Kaniva-leeor United 44 d Harrow-balmoral 35, Laharum 58 d Jeparit-rainbow 39, Kalkee – no game. Ladder: Kalkee 56 points, 154.18 percent; Laharum 52, 175.65; Edenhope-apsley 52, 145.63; Noradjuha-quantong 52, 138.20; Jeparit-rainbow 40, 121.87; Kaniva-leeor United 40, 114.48; Harrow-balmoral 36, 129.46; Natimuk United 20, 71.21; Pimpinio 20, 66.97; Swifts 8, 73.44; Rupanyup 8, 40.11.