Mildura v Robinvale Euston
Today: Brian Weightman Oval courts, 12pm
STYLES will collide when Mildura host Robinvale Euston in a qualifying final for the right to play Wentworth in next week’s second semi at the Eagles’ nest.
The Demons are built around versatile talls, led by co-coaches Ava Zadow and Jess McNamara, who can move from defence to attack and vice versa without missing a beat.
Robinvale Euston buck the general league trend and bank on pace from on-court and ball movement.
Sure, the A Grade’s second highest goal scorer, Sarah Hepburn, is quite lofty but a lot of this season’s surprise team’s impetus come from mid-sized players like coach and forward/midcourter Georgia Giofrelle, her sister Belle and pesky fellow mids Taneh Romeo, Carmen Garreffa and Georgie Kelly.
“We are regarded as short and fast and we try to use that to our advantage,” Giofrelle said.
“We just have to get off to a good start, have confidence that we can do it, think that we can do it and go out on the court and just execute it,” she said of the simple game plan to combat the No. 2 side in the comp.
“They’ve got a bit of an advantage over us out there (Brian Weightman Oval courts), but we will just try our best.
“They are strong all over the court, so it’s just a matter of seeing how we are going on the day and what combinations work. Ava, Jess and Sharon (Watson) all have height and are very athletic and we have to be wary of that.”
The Eagles’ performance this season even caught the coach pleasantly unawares.
“I didn’t think we’d finish top three but I’m glad we got there. Now it would be great to push on,” Giofrelle said.
Demons coach McNamara realises the visitors will be a more than tricky test despite having home court advantage.
“They are definitely a good side,” she said.
“They are just great throughout the whole court. There’s no one section that just performs well and they definitely deserve that third position.
“You don’t get up to that position on the ladder just having one or two good players, it’s a whole team effort.
“They will definitely make it challenging for us. But hopefully we will have the right mix that can make it hard for them.
“Funny things happen during finals, and you can get those jitters. So, it’s just about taking it game by game. I think it will be a great encounter. It will be about adjusting and getting your head into it early.”
