Finley came out with intent, racing to an early lead and putting Nathalia briefly on the back foot as the Purples’ 100 per cent record for the campaign appeared to be in jeopardy.
Paige Gray was influential in the opening minutes, helping Finley to a quick start as the hosts struggled to settle into the contest at Nathalia Recreation Reserve.
However, once the home side found its rhythm, the momentum began to shift in the battle.
Georgia Walpole and Emmalea Wishart combined effectively in the shooting circle, gradually chipping away at the deficit before swinging the pendulum back in Nathalia’s favour.
By the end of the first quarter, the scoreboard had levelled out, and from there Nathalia began to take control.
The second term proved decisive, with Nathalia producing a sustained run of goals to open up a clear margin.
Clean ball movement through the midcourt and precise finishing under the post saw the lead stretch, with Walpole particularly dominant as opportunities continued to flow.
Despite Finley’s efforts to stay in touch, with Hayley Denny and Gray both contributing strongly, Nathalia’s consistency across the court proved difficult to contain.
The third quarter further reinforced Nathalia’s control, as the margin pushed beyond 20 goals, as defensive pressure through the centre third disrupted Finley’s attacking transitions, while the attacking end continued to convert clinically.
By the final term, the result was largely beyond doubt, but Nathalia maintained its intensity to the finish as a late run of goals ensured the margin extended out to 27.
The impressive Walpole finished with 37 goals and Wishart added 21 in a flawless shooting display, highlighting Nathalia’s efficiency in front of goal.
For Finley, Gray (15) and Denny (14) provided hope, particularly early on, but were ultimately limited by reduced supply as the game progressed.
Elsewhere, Mulwala continued its strong start with a 63 to 43 win over Numurkah, while Tongala impressed in a 66 to 36 victory against Echuca United.
Meanwhile, Rumbalara’s 54 to 44 win over Deniliquin Rams was one of the tighter contests of the round, and Cobram secured a 37 to 22 result over Congupna.
With three rounds complete, Nathalia’s ability to absorb early pressure and respond with authority has further cemented its position as one of the competition’s early frontrunners - leaving them level on points with ladder leaders Mulwala.
Reflecting on going three for three in the early weeks of the campaign, Purples star Laura Cole spoke of the chemistry within the side currently.
“We’re feeling really good, we’ve had three strong wins so far and we know it’s going to be a long season so we’ll have to keep working hard,” she said.
“But we’re feeling super pumped, we’ve got such good connections going and we all get along so well.
“It’s feeling really special to be a part of at the moment!”
On this latest victory, Cole also outlined her respect for Finley’s efforts, while praising her teammates’ resilience en route to securing a crucial result.
“Finley put up a good fight at the start of the game and we were prepared for that, we knew we’d have to play well to make sure we got the win,” she said.
“We probably took a little bit of time to get into the game and obviously this was our first game this season without Jane Cook playing so we had to adjust to some different combinations, which I think we did well.
“They stuck with us for that first quarter and we knew we had to make sure we were able to get those new combinations going and we felt we took control after that and felt pretty comfortable.
“Both of our goallers were really accurate which was awesome - Georgia Walpole was such a strong target for us.”
