NANGILOC broke a 40-year drought when they came from a distant third to win the Millewa Football Netball League A Grade crown last season.
Now, they have the chance to make it two pennants in a row when they meet Bambill down at the Lake today.
That scenario looked highly unlikely early in the season as the Demons got off to a woeful 0-5 start and were wallowing at the bottom of the table.
However, slowly but surely, the new-look combination started to gel and is now poised to stun the comp again.
During that finals run, Nangi knocked off minor premiers Bambill in the preliminary final.
Coach/defender Ginine Sluiter believes history can repeat itself.
“We have a very good chance of taking the win, but I think the games we played against Werrimull and Cardy so far in the finals and what we face against Bambill are all different challenges,” Sluiter said.
Much of the Dees’ hopes will hinge on star shooter Amber King who scored an amazing 65 goals in their 68-33 preliminary final win over Cardross last weekend.
“She’s had a lovely year. She didn’t get as many votes as I thought she would but maybe the umpires look at different things,” Sluiter said of this week’s MFNL awards ceremony at which she finished second behind Werrimull’s Erin Sell for the league’s Dot Wilson best and fairest award.
“It’s an interesting process … but I am really surprised she wasn’t even in the team of the year,” she said of King.
“Her shooting percentage overall is between 85 and 90 per cent for probably the last 12 games.”
However, it’s not all a one-shooter act at Nangi.
“She is served very well by our centre (Tamara Loveridge) and wing attack (Chloe Nelson) and Holly (Mills) our goal attack,” Sluiter pointed out.
Undefeated Bambill, who have accounted for the Demons all three times they have met this season, also have some more than useful players.
“The majority of their team has been together for a long time and that’s an advantage,” the coach said.
“I’ve been playing on them since 2018 or ’19 and I know how they play but some of my girls don’t.
“They have a solid defence and a combination of people that work together. Maddy Tormey is definitely one to keep an eye on in the ring and I expect Kaylie (Monaghan) to do a really good job in the midcourt, but there are lots of them to look out for, they have a very strong team.
“We’ve come close to beating them. We were in the same situation last year, and we beat them in the prelim. It’s definitely doable. We have had a great run at the end part of the season, and I know we have the ability to keep going.”
