Grand final fever in Kyabram District League A-grade netball

Sep 14, 2023

Chasing glory: Tallygaroopna captain Georgie Sidebottom and her Shepparton East counterpart Sarah Maskell will be out to claim premiership glory tomorrow when the two sides meet in the Kyabram District League A-grade grand final. Photo by Aydin Payne

Shepparton East and Tallygaroopna are each as prepared as can be ahead of Saturday afternoon’s Kyabram District Netball League grand final.

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The two sides are no strangers to one another in the big spots, having met in a double chance game at the start of this year’s finals series after finishing top two in the regular season.

Both sides have affirmed their full complements of personnel heading into the decider at Mooroopna Recreation Reserve.

“It helps having a week off, so we’re all hydrated, feeling good and we’ll be putting in a strong starting seven with plenty of effort off the bench as well,” Shepparton East’s Sarah Maskell said.

“We had an extra run last week, but we’ve gotten through that unscathed,” Tallygaroopna’s Georgie Sidebottom said.

Though the two sides are familiar, Shepparton East’s perfect run through 2023 to this point has come at Tallygaroopna’s expense twice, forcing the Redlegs to take the longer route in their quest for back-to-back premierships.

However, Sidebottom is undaunted by her unblemished opposition.

“We had two really good hit-outs against (Shepparton East) and the margins haven’t been big,” Sidebottom said.

“We believe we’re right in there with a red-hot chance to come out with it, but we’ll just be trying to make sure we are all playing our best netball.”

On the other side of the aisle Maskell believes what her side has achieved up to this point puts the Eagles in an advantageous position to clinch a perfect 2023, highlighting what it would mean to the club’s staff in the process.

“As long as everyone is on their game for us, we have no doubts whatsoever,” Maskell said.

“We need to win this one for our coach (Erynn Hueston), who has been here many years.

“We absolutely need to do it for her.

“We’ve all got confidence that we’re going to take it out on Saturday and I don’t think we should have a worry at all if we play our game, knowing we got that job done in (the previous final against Tallygaroopna).”

The prospect of titles in consecutive seasons will provide no shortage of motivation to ensure the Redlegs are up to the challenge when the stakes are highest.

Tallygaroopna finished with the best percentage in the A-grade competition heading into finals this season, but the Eagles have remained the persistent thorn in the Redlegs’ side.