DOWN 11 goals at halftime, Red Cliffs looked gone for all money in their SFNL A Grade elimination final at George Gordon Oval court one last week.
Was Tigers’ coach Romany Bowen worried? Nah.
“For some reason I was really calm for the whole week and then the game,” Bowen said as her team came back to win the game of the season in double overtime 60-58 and advance to another knockout encounter tomorrow at the Brian Weightman Oval courts against Robinvale Euston.
“I just thought I had a job to do and just went about it quarter by quarter. During the game I barely looked at the scoreboard, I just thought what happens will happen.
“I knew we were behind at halftime, but I didn’t care because we had another half to go. Then I could feel the momentum change a little bit out on the court.
“I felt pride in what they displayed in the last quarter and especially in those last overtime moments. They maintained their composure and didn’t need me at all.
“They just dug in and kept fighting for each other and the club as well,” Bowen said of a comeback for the ages, but now for the task ahead.
“They (Robinvale Euston) play a different style, but they hold their own. They are fast and physical, and they shoot very well, Georgia (Giofrelle) is very accurate.
“They are going to be a tough opponent to come up against, but we are just going to continue doing what we do and practising and processing what we do best on the court.
“We are just enjoying being in finals. We are just happy to be here and take it week by week.
“We have nothing to lose … but if we play the level of netball we played at the weekend, I think we can give anyone a really good challenge. Everyone starts at zero all.”
Shooters Zara Copley and Jazmin Parker were in outstanding form last week along with winger Jorja Parker and defenders Ili Sovau and Morna Naquto, but the team will have to rise again for another KO clash – which Bowen seems blithely unflustered about.
“It just depends on if the girls want it enough. I’ll just let them go free range and see how it goes,” she said.
If Bowen was the epitome of calmness last week, Eagles’ coach Georgia Giofrelle freely admitted she was the exact opposite at the start of her team’s qualifying final against Mildura at BWO.
“I was really nervous early in the game last week,” the speedy shooter said of her first appearance in a final since her junior days, which ended in a tight seven-goal loss.
“After playing our first final, we now know what to expect and we are not going into it as nervous as we were last week.
“We have just been trying to make sure every is still on the same page this week and that we are ready for Red Cliffs and can hit the court running.”
Giofrelle also said she was fully aware of what to expect from the young Tigers crew.
“I saw a bit of it (on video) and it was definitely a highly intense game,” she said of the elimination final.
“Having played in A Grade for a while I am used to taking a few hits every now and then. You’ve just got to play to the umpires and stick to your own game.
“Zara Copley is very accurate. She doesn’t miss very often and the combination of her and Jazmin Parker works very well. And their centre court and defence are very strong as well.”
The Eagles rely primarily on an eight-person roster with Giofrelle and fellow attacker Sarah Hepburn, winger Belle Giofrelle and defenders Kirsten Neyland and Jorja Delcastegne being the prime movers, but that list may be extended tomorrow.
“It depends on what happens,” the coach said.
“We usually only have one on the bench but sometimes call B Graders in and we may consider that, but I am confident that my team knows the job that has to be done.”
