MILDURA enjoyed a solid sparring session against Imperials, winning all four rounds on their way to a 64-40 victory and set up a final-round heavyweight clash with unbeaten defending A Grade champions Wentworth this coming Saturday.
In the Brian Weightman Oval courts derby, second on the ladder Mildura were just too slick for their game opponents and should have won by a wider margin except for some wayward shooting late in the game.
Imps simply could not counter the Demons’ long, accurate passing and swarming defence from the start of the game, and while not swamped were also never truly in the lopsided contest.
While a familiar coach’s mantra is “one game at a time”, the Dees’ Sharon Watson conceded her side had one eye on the clash ahead with potential grand final rivals the Roos.
“We had some targets we wanted to hit today which we didn’t quite reach but it was still a comfortable win,” Watson said. “We tried and tested a few things today which is always good coming into finals when anything can happen.
“I have a high bar and we have a high bar to play next week. We are coming to the pointy end and it’s the perfect medium to see where thing are at.
“We are in the same situation we were in last year – one and two – and that still haunts me. If things don’t work how we want to next week we reassess and we go again in that first week of the finals.
“Next week to me is another learning game … they beat us by 14 (in the first round) and we have come a long way since then.”
Jess McNamara and Ava Zadow were chosen Mildura’s best in a fine all-round team performance, while Kia Scott and Laura Hayter stood out for the day’s host side.
-Tym Glaser
