For Haylee Finn and Brooke Thompson, South Warrnambool's finals appearance on Sunday has been a long-time coming.
The pair, who have played senior netball for the Roosters for more than a decade, have never played a finals match at the highest level.
So long is South's absence from the finals, that no-one associated with the club could remember its most recent finals campaign.
A check through The Standard's archives has revealed the last time South finished in the five was 1990 when it won its fourth consecutive senior premiership. Finn, 28, and Thompson, 27, were still at primary school.
Both Finn and Thompson are looking forward to Sunday's elimination final showdown with Cobden at the Friendly Societies' Park.
"I think it is exciting," Finn said.
"But because every one of the netball sides has made it, they are thinking this is normal.
"The Finnigan girls (Melita and Emily Rose) have played a lot of netball finals. No-one is getting over excited because it is another game except Brooke and myself. Everyone is kind of keeping a lid on it."
Thompson, who started playing seniors 10 years ago after working her way up from the under 15s in 1996, said she couldn't wait for Sunday.
"I went back to the ressies last year and we ended up winning the grand final, that was a nice taste but to be able to do it again in seniors would be great," she said.
Thompson was drawn to the club through family connections. Her father Alan has ties with the Roosters, her brother Ryan played footy there and her cousins Jarrod and Heath also play in the red and white.
"I've never looked at going anywhere else," she said.
It's a similar story for Finn, who started at the club as an 11-year-old in under 17s in 1994 before younger grades were added to the comeptition.
After six seasons in under 17s, she progressed to the seniors full-time but for her last three at junior level she doubled up and played seniors as well between 1997 and '99.
She went away to university, played a few games in 2003 but returned full-time in 2008.
Both Thompson and Finn know South's 2010 side is capable of winning a flag.
Their optimism is fuelled by two wins over minor premier Camperdown and a victory over third-placed Koroit in the second half of the season.
Finn, who has settled as wing defence after playing as wing attack and centre earlier in the year, said she was enjoying the role, a position she had played a lot at the start of her career.
She said Kate Butler and Holly Greene, both accomplished basketballers, had added significant defensive skills to the Roosters.
"They bring that amazing ability to read the play and you can help each other," she said.
"If everyone gets a couple of intercepts a quarter it makes a big difference," Finn said.
The Roosters' ability to force turnovers on Saturday against the Magpies was crucial in the two-goal win.
Thompson, a goal keeper, agreed but said the build up during the week was also important.
"We have never been known as being mentally tough but it is something we have worked on and try to do it for each other and try and keep across the game," Thompson said.
She said boxing sessions with personal trainer and former South footballer, Rodney Ryan, had a mental portion which had been invaluable in recent weeks.
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