The premiership race was well and truly blown open last week when minor premier Avenel was knocked out of contention and trying to decide where to land your hard earned is harder than picking a Melbourne Cup winner.
We enter the final turn with Stanhope, Murchison-Toolamba, Lancaster and Shepparton East preparing for one final dash to the post.
Action begins on Saturday when Stanhope and Lancaster butt heads at Tallygaroopna.
The Wombats enter the clash off a short six-day break, following a gritty win over Nagambie, and Stanhope comes in after it defeated Avenel a fortnight ago.
“We’re under no illusions that we’re the underdogs,” Lancaster playing coach Tom Davies said.
“Stanhope play a real attacking brand; they’re hard at it and their mids can push forward and hit the scoreboard.
“I think it will come down to who is able to have the most run in their legs by the end. (Tallygaroopna) is a bit of a bigger ground and it allows us to play the way we want to play.”
Stanhope co-coach Mark Patten said the Lions’ faithful were up and about as the club returns to another preliminary final.
“The boys are looking forward to the game and there’s plenty of excitement around the club,” he said.
“It’s been a good week at the club, but there’s still more to achieve. Prelims are hard to win and we know it will be the same on Saturday. Lanky are a polished outfit, a real hard-running and fast team and they seem to have beefed up their midfield since we played them last.”
Both sides enter the clash with some injury concerns to pivotal players.
Patten said his team would be without forward livewire Jonno Pearson, who sustained a calf strain at training.
Davies said Coby O’Neil and Sam Spedding came out of last week’s game with injury concerns, however, he expected both to be right for Saturday.
Meanwhile, Girgarre will be the venue for Sunday’s clash between Shepparton East and Murchison-Toolamba.
The Grasshoppers prevailed by 11 points when the two sides met in July, but East will be confident of a result reversal on Sunday after its win over Avenel last weekend.
The Eagles’ playing coach Rob Osborne said after last week’s win that his side would need to be at its best again.
“Another box ticked there mate and another big challenge next week. They don’t give you prelim wins, so we’re going to have to work hard to win that one too,” Osborne said.
“Murch are in good form; they’ve got quality everywhere and we’ll have to be on again.
“We had a few lapses (last time) ... we’ve just got to be on for four quarters, this time of the year you can’t win games of footy from two or three quarters.”
Preliminary finals
First preliminary final at Tallygaroopna Recreation Reserve (Saturday)
Seniors: Stanhope v Lancaster (2.15pm)
A-grade netball: Shepparton East v Tallygaroopna (2pm)
Second preliminary final at Girgarre Recreation Reserve (Sunday)
Seniors: Murchison-Toolamba v Shepparton East (2.15pm)
A-grade netball: Nagambie v Dookie United (2pm)
