Nagambie entered the Kyabram District League A-grade netball finals series as a serious premiership threat, having finished third after beating every side bar unbeaten Shepparton East at least once throughout the season.
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The Lakers find themselves ruled out of contention at the first hurdle, however, after falling victim to a stunning boilover by sixth-placed Tallygaroopna in the first elimination final at Rushworth on Saturday.
A tight, tense contest punctuated by epic momentum swings finally fell the way of the Redlegs after a pulsating final quarter, with the underdogs claiming a 42-39 victory at the final whistle.
At the end of the first term, however, it certainly didn’t look like the throng of spectators were going to get the thriller that eventuated over the next three quarters.
Red hot favourite Nagambie dominated proceedings in the first period, showing all of the polish that it used during a 10-game unbeaten streak from round two to 12 during the season to establish a a 14-7 lead by the first interval.
Redlegs coach Tamara Lane knew her troops had it in them to close down the gap and urged them to stick to their style when they gathered at the first huddle.
“The message to the girls at quarter-time was that we just had to focus on us and what we can do,” she said.
“Just play one goal at a time, as soon as we get a goal, we need to break a goal and we need to capitalise.
“The girls came out with fire in that second quarter and they turned it around, and it was a huge turnaround.”
A huge turnaround might be an understatement.
Trailing by seven, the Redlegs wrestled the momentum back and used it to full advantage in the second term, erasing the deficit and then some to find themselves in the lead by half-time, with the 15-4 quarter ensuring they held a 22-18 advantage at the main break.
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Tallygaroopna’s Kieley Lane receives a pass. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROWImage 2 of 8
Nagambie’s Katie Sullivan looks for an option further down the court. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROWImage 3 of 8
Tallygaroopna’s Bree Giles fires off a pass. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROWImage 4 of 8
Tallygaroopna’s Rebecca Brett defends against Nagambie’s Rylee Alderton. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROWImage 5 of 8
Naga,bie’s Katie Sullivan controls the ball ahead of Tallygaroopna pair Bree Giles and Sophie Dowell. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROWImage 6 of 8
Nagambie’s Greta Small assesses her options. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROWImage 7 of 8
Tallygaroopna’s Melinda Kittlety defends Nagambie’s Mia Thomson. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROWImage 8 of 8
Nagambie’s Kieley Lane sends the ball forward. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROWThings tightened up massively after half-time, with Nagambie once again getting the better of the Redlegs in the third term and, while the Lakers managed to outscore them, they were unable to forge ahead, with the scores locked at 31-all heading into the final quarter.
With the season on the line, every little advantage matters, and Tallygaroopna had an ace up its sleeve.
There is no substitute for experience and the Redlegs had it in spades, with defensive pair Rebecca Brett and Bree Giles providing cool and calm heads in what was their 40th A-grade final – and 247th total A-grade contest – as teammates, providing plenty of wisdom to help their side come up clutch in the final quarter.
“The experience from both of those girls is amazing,” Lane said.
“To still be playing at the level that they're playing at, it's just a huge, huge bonus to have.
“Just their knowledge and their calmness, I guess, when it comes to those tight contests, they've been there before, they've done it before, it was fantastic.”
The win doesn’t change much for Lane and her charges, she explained, with the group having had confidence in itself to get the job done all season, and will continue its campaign one week at a time from here on in.
“We've had belief all the way through,” she said.
“It's just a matter of them bringing it each week and we just play each game as it comes now.”
They will be in action this week in a huge semi-final clash against Rushworth, with the Tigers having prevailed 39-30 in the second elimination final on Sunday at Merrigum Recreation Reserve.
The fourth-placed Tigers held the wood over Avenel heading into the clash, with the most recent meeting between the pair in round 15 a 41-34 victory to the former, making it two from two for Rushworth in regular season contests this year.
The Swans had enjoyed a hot finish to the year, defeating the Lakers in the final round to secure fifth place on the ladder and head into the finals with serious momentum, but it would be the Tigers that got the jump as they set about making it three on the trot against Avenel, taking a three-goal lead into quarter-time, an advantage they more than doubled in the second term to enjoy a 21-14 lead at the half-time break.
Slowly but surely Rushworth continued to pull away in the third term, extending the lead to nine at the final change and, while Avenel did everything it could to peg back the deficit in the fourth term, it was unable to reel in the Tigers, with nine goals the eventual margin of victory.