KOROIT defender Kasey Owen is expected to use the grand final-bound Saints’ break to nurse a niggling back injury.
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Saints co-coach Jess O’Connor said her backcourt teammate would benefit from the two-week spell.
The Hampden league reigning premier advanced to the decider after knocking off minor premier Cobden 53-41 in the second semi-final at Portland on Saturday.
“We have got a versatile side, so we’ll have a plan set in place in case she’s not right to go but we’ll worry about that if the problem comes,” she said.
Saints co-coach Carly Pulling was rapt with Koroit’s fast start against Cobden.
They raced to a nine-goal quarter-time lead which proved too big a hurdle for the usually high-scoring Bombers to overcome.
“Our starts have been really important over this month and a half and it’s probably what we keep harping on about, trying to get those good starts and when we do we’re setting ourselves up for a good game,” she said.
O’Connor, who was steady in goal keeper, said the Saints were pleased to keep the Bombers to 41 goals.
Cobden played four players – Emily Finch, Jaymie Finch, Amy Hammond and Sophie Barr – in its attacking circle.
“We know they are all accurate goalers and whichever ones (were on court) we had to play the space and I think we did a good job of that,” she said.
“The girls put a lot of good pressure around the ring which probably makes it a lot easier for the ring defence."
Pulling, who played in Warrnambool Mermaids’ come-from-behind Big V basketball championship last weekend, said it was surreal to be back in a grand final.
“I think we’ve come to play at the right time of the year,” she said.
“I think we had a very injury-depleted start to the year and I think by the time we got all of our players back and a couple of games in we really started to gel and play some pretty good netball.”
Cobden coach Nadine McNamara lamented the Bombers’ slow start but believes they can learn from the defeat to still be a player in September.
“I think it was a poor first quarter for us but it was great to see we fought back in the final three quarters,” she said.
“I feel like our defensive pressure all over the court wasn’t up to scratch.
“We weren’t close enough to our players and we were just letting them chip away into the goal circle and it allowed them to easily convert the ball.
“Nell (Mitchell) and Rachel (Dobson) just punish you on the scoreboard.”
Goal defence McNamara said Cobden worked itself out of the rut and proved it can match the Saints on the big stage.
“I think the final three quarters were fantastic,” she said.
“I think we worked hard defensively one-on-one, we forced them to make a few turnovers and we capitalised on it so that’s the positive.
“We weren’t taking this game lightly and we learned a lesson from today.
“When were were down by nine I think we needed to look at some different combinations.
“Going into that last (quarter) we were optimistic we could win but wanted to look at some options so hopefully if we come up against them next time we’re a bit smarter and bit more switched on.”