COBDEN is one win away from avenging last season's grand final defeat after holding off Warrnambool in a thrilling second semi-final to advance to the decider.
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The Bombers, who took out a contest of ebbs and flows 44-42 on Saturday, will sweat on the availability of goalie Molly Hutt who hobbled off in the first quarter with an ankle injury.
Cobden coach Mel Starr is hopeful the week off will give Hutt time to recover to take her place in the grand final.
One of her teammates, defensive power Nadine McNamara, overcame a foot injury to best on court against the Blues. McNamara said she got through the contest unscathed.
"I think as soon as you get on court the adrenaline kicks in so I am not feeling it just yet but ask me in half an hour and it could be a little bit different," she joked post-game.
Little separated the two sides. Warrnambool was three goals up at the first break and Cobden held one-goal and two-goal buffers at the next two change of ends.
"I am a bit exhausted. It was a bit of an emotional roller-coaster out there. It was a tough game and every contest was well fought," McNamara said.
"I am relieved a little bit right now but excited as well.
"Our persistent one-on-one defensive pressure (was crucial).
"When a team gets momentum like that you need to try and halt their transitional plays and try and put them under pressure to make some mistakes.
"They did that really well and we did that really well in patches too."
McNamara praised goal shooter Emily Finch who endured a tough battle with Blue goal keeper Emma Cust.
"I thought Em really stood up in some tight moments. It is hard to be a goalie when the pressure is on and it's going goal-for-goal but I thought she did really, really well down there today too," she said.
Starr said the game was the ideal test for the Bombers.
"I said to the girls after the game 'that's the sort of win you want in finals, you just really grind it out'," she said.
"We want to go that next step in two weeks' time. We've definitely got the list to do it and got the ability to do it."
Warrnambool coach Raewyn Poumako said the Blues would work on capitalising on their turnovers after wasting opportunities.
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