A WARNING has gone out to those teams with their eye on Warrnambool and District A grade netball premiership glory.
The champions are not done with yet.
Reigning premiers South Rovers have shown they are still a force to be reckoned with after a 50-36 elimination final victory over Old Collegians at Allansford yesterday.
While it is a new-look South Rovers line-up this season, there is still enough finals experience in the ranks to know how to move it up a notch when the heat is turned up on the big stage of finals netball.
With talented goalscoring pair Mandy Knee and Rhiannon Davis in good form, South Rovers took a 27-16 lead into half-time, before building on it in the second half.
South Rovers coach Mandy Knee said her team had adjusted well to what is required in finals.
“I am really proud of the girls. They stepped up a level today and they all put in 100 per cent,” Knee said.
“Finals are always more physical games because there is so much on the line and our attack on the ball was very good.
“Our defenders did a great job. They put so much pressure on and kept sending the ball back up the court so we could score.”
Old Collegians coach Lisa Arundell said her team’s lack of experience played a part in its defeat.
“We have a lot of young players and South Rovers came out very hard and got the jump on us,” Arundell said.
“But I am very proud of what the girls have done this season and they have a really bright future ahead of them.”
The future for South Rovers is more immediate as they now prepare to meet Dennington in the first semi-final on Sunday.
The teams have met twice this season, with very different results.
South Rovers won a thriller in round five by a goal, while in round 16 it was a big turnaround, with Dennington winning by 33 goals.
Knee said her side was without four of its best in round 16 so that margin would not play on her players’ minds in the lead-up to the game.
“I think the round five result was a truer indication of how even the two teams are, so we are looking forward to coming up against Dennington,” she said.
“It should be a great game.”
