Another season, another Newtown & Chilwell grand final appearance.
It’s a familiar scenario for Geelong Netball League’s A Grade competition and it happens again tomorrow as the Eagles take on St Joseph’s at Kardinia Park.
It’s the Eagles’ 10th consecutive grand final, but they have lost the past two although captain Ruby Pekin-Schlicht isn’t necessarily looking for redemption, rather looking forward to the challenge.
“We’re proud of ourselves for being in so many grand finals throughout the years – like that’s an achievement in itself,” she said.
“Obviously we’d love to get that flag back, it’s different every year.”
In a quirk of the fixture, the two sides have played each other just once this season, back in round four and have avoided each other during the finals.
With no formline to go on, Pekin-Schlicht said both sides still knew each other’s game well.
“We’ve watched them a few times (and) we watched them playing during finals against South Barwon,” she said.
“We know what they’re like and we know the players in the team quite well. They’ve been around for a long time, and they’re all amazing players.”
Both sides are versatile and have star power all over the court.
“We can do any combination that we feel like and so can they,” Pekin-Schlicht said.
“So it’s really what happens on the day and what fits well for each team.”
Eagles’ attacking duo Julia Woolley and Mikaela Vaughan were superb in the preliminary final win against South Barwon.
“It’s probably the best game that I’ve seen them play,” Pekin-Schlicht said.
“They just connected so well.”
Pekin-Schlicht said the qualifying final loss was a “refocus moment” for her team.
“South Barwon have always been strong and we’ve never thought that they haven’t been,” she said.
“I think we were ready for a strong game. I think we had a couple of players out that game, not saying that it means anything, but we’ve always, every team that we play, we know we’ve got to have our game on.
“You always have a loss and you go ‘come on guys, we need to pick this up now because we want to be there at the end’.”
Joeys co-captain Tori Honner said not having a lot of grand final experience could actually benefit her team.
“I think it’s a help – we may not have experience in grand finals, but we have experience in big games,” she said.
“We’ve had quite a few of them this year and in the past few years we’ve made finals as well. So we’ve been nearly there a couple of times and I think we are focusing on our roles and what we can do rather than the pressure of the game.
“I guess that’s all we can do and give it our best.”
Georgette Paatsch’s successful switch to attack has surprised many, but not in the Joeys’ camp.
“She has played her whole life in defence and we had a really strong defence this year and we thought ‘hmm, could Georgette play goals and we tried it and it really works,” Honner said.
“She is so strong and really accurate for someone who has never shot before. And I think she knows what attackers do too so she’s been amazing.”
Honner said her side would focus on performing their individual roles in today’s decider.
“I think we need to stay connected and keep communicating, keep working together, reading off each other, and I think we need to really bring that netball smarts,” she said.
“We are really, really excited. We’re really pumped. We’re hungry as well.
“I think throughout the year, every game that we have, we’ve just been able to build and build on that with a pretty new attacking end, they have just come together with Georgette going from defence to goals, which has been massive.
“So it’s just been building on that every game, learning, adjusting and I feel like we’re playing a really team game. So all seven on court and people coming on and off the bench, we’re using everyone.”
GRAND FINALS
Kardinia Park, Friday September 27
A Grade: St Joseph’s vs Newtown & Chilwell at 3.15pm. Live stream at aflbarwon.com.au
B Grade: South Barwon vs Colac at 1.05pm
C Grade: Leopold vs South Barwon at 11.45am
D Grade: St Mary’s vs Leopold at 10.30am
E Grade: Leopold vs South Barwon at 2.05pm
19 & Under: Bell Park vs Newtown & Chilwell at 1.05pm
17 & Under Division 1: Newtown & Chilwell vs South Barwon at 10.30pm
17 & Under Division 2: South Barwon vs Newtown & Chilwell at 11.45am
15 & Under Division 1: South Barwon vs Geelong West Giants at 9.15am
15 & Under Division 2: South Barwon vs Newtown & Chilwell at 9.15am
13 & Under Division 1: South Barwon vs Newtown & Chilwell at 8am
13 & Under Division 2: South Barwon vs Colac at 8am
