AN early encounter ahead of their impending qualifying final will be on the cards for Mildura and Irymple in SFNL A Grade netball.
Placed third and second respectively on the ladder, the gun sides collide on Saturday at Brian Weightman Oval, and will meet again in just three weeks time for the right to face minor premiers-in-waiting Wentworth for a grand final berth.
With the Swallows having just two games left alongside a final round bye, and the Demons three, their finishing order could change, however it would just be for bragging rights.
Irymple won the previous encounter back in round 7, Shelby Trigg scoring 31 goals in the 58-49 result at Henshilwood Oval.
Swallows coach Sherrie Geister said after last week’s victory over South Mildura that the team is looking forward to the challenges of the end of the home-and-away season.
“We thought this was going to be a tough game and they beat us by a goal last time, so the girls had a bit of fire in their bellies to beat them and to win convincingly,” Geister said of the South match.
“We are just improving week by week and I am really proud of them. We’ve got a couple of crackers coming up now … and we are ready to take on the challenges.”
“First and foremost, we just worry about our game and whatever comes at us we just try to stick to our team plan and play the style that suits us.”
Mildura had been in superb form with six consecutive wins up until facing Wentworth last week.
The Demons will be hopeful of regaining playing coach Ellie Vincent after being absent in recent weeks.
In other games, Merbein will look to keep their finals ambitions alive when they host Imperials at Kenny Park.
With the Magpies having the bye next week however, Ouyen United and South Mildura can wrap up their respective places in finals with wins this weekend.
The Kangas are at their second home of Underbool to face bottom of the table Red Cliffs, while South will host eighth-placed Robinvale Euston at Mildura Sporting Precinct.
While neither game will be a “gimmie” with the Tigers and the Eagles showing solid recent form, the potential finalists will be solid favourites.
Wentworth have the bye before final round matches against Irymple and Robinvale Euston.
