General News
13 September, 2024
Bench strengthened for season’s grand finale
PYRAMID Hill has proven to be Mitiamo’s nemesis in A Grade netball this season, but will home court advantage help the Superoos turn the tables on the Bulldogs in Saturday’s grand final? Two of the three clashes between the teams this season...
PYRAMID Hill has proven to be Mitiamo’s nemesis in A Grade netball this season, but will home court advantage help the Superoos turn the tables on the Bulldogs in Saturday’s grand final?
Two of the three clashes between the teams this season have been won by the Bulldogs – the only defeats Mitiamo has suffered in 2024.
Oddly enough, both Mitiamo and Pyramid Hill lost at home before the Bulldogs prevailed in the second semi-final at neutral venue Bridgewater.
The Superoos had to go the long way around to make the grand final but ran away from Bridgewater after half-time in the preliminary final for a 20-goal victory.
Playing at home, the Superoos is set to have the whole town there in support, but Pyramid Hill fans will also be out in force, with the A Grade netballers joining the senior and reserves football teams in grand finals.
Pyramid Hill coach Chelsea Emmerson said the whole community was behind the town’s teams in the finals.
“Even a couple of weeks ago walking into one of the finals I met an older guy. I asked him who he was supporting, and he said Pyramid Hill. He had travelled three hours just to get to that final,” Emmerson said.
Having a week’s rest had been beneficial, she said, and while it was regretful that the Bulldogs’ B Grade side lost its preliminary final, the defeat meant A Grade had a strengthened bench for the grand final.
By contrast, Mitiamo coach Jen Wilson said playing consecutive weeks after losing the second semi-final was a good thing for her team.
“Having a week off never does work for us. We always come out and find it quite difficult. We worked hard to get the double chance, and we do play better when we have continuity.”
Wilson did not believe playing on their home court was necessarily a plus for the Superoos: “For me, a netball court is a netball court.”
A Grade - Mitiamo v Pyramid Hill
B Grade - Newbridge v Marong
C Grade - Bridgewater v Marong
C Reserves - Marong v Maiden Gully
17 & Under - Calivil v Marong
15 & Under - Calivil v Bridgewater
13 & Under - Calivil v Marong