A grand final re-match and youngsters ready to spring an upset headline the first week of finals action in the Orange Netball Association division one competition.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
With 14 rounds done and dusted, only four teams remain in the fight to claim the silverware.
On Saturday (September 2), Orange City Craig Harvey Mechanical face off against Vipers in the major semi-final while Orange High School Hornets (OHS) go head-to-head with Life Studio with the loser eliminated.
The former is a repeat of the 2022 grand final which saw City take home yet another title with a 50-30 win.
Vipers player Sophie Fardell said her team had been buoyed by some close results against City and knew what they had to do to emerge victorious.
"I feel like it's been a long season so it's good to get to the meatier end of it," she said.
"We meet each other quite a lot towards the end of the year. We played two weeks ago and it was really tight, the difference was six points.
"They are such a dominant team so it was nice to be able to contest with them. This weekend I'm sure it's going to be another good game.
"We might be doing a couple of rounds, we'll see.
"Consistency is key. They are so consistent, their errors are low so for us it's about minimising ours and trying to match them in that area."
City player Maddie Cole said her side simply needed to remain focused after a dominant 12-0 season record.
"We play for each other and always try and lift for each other in those games where it might not be as tough," she said.
"A big part of our game plan is trying to stay really fit but we would love to have a week off."
The winner will go straight through to the decider while loser will face the winner of Life Studio and Hornets.
OHS player Asha Nicol said what the team lacked in experience they more than made up for with competitiveness.
"Obviously we have a very young team and everyone else has a lot more experience," she said.
"But we love to get out there and have a go."
Life Studio's Lucy Wilson said she expected the game to go down to the wire with either side beating the other during the regular season.
Reading this on mobile web? Download our news app. It's faster, easier to read and we'll send you alerts for breaking news as it happens. Download in the Apple Store or Google Play.
