WHITE Hills and Colbinabbin will need no extra motivation when they clash in Saturday's HDFNL A-grade grand final.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
As they have shown repeatedly over the last four seasons, culminating in two-straight epic grand finals, the Demons and Grasshoppers have more than a tendency of bringing out the best in each other.
But after her side won the teams' semi-final encounter a fortnight ago by 13 goals, and Colbinabbin survived an almighty fright against Elmore in last week's preliminary final, Demons premiership coach Lauren Bowles suspects the Grasshoppers might just have a bit of extra incentive heading into the clubs' fourth-straight grand final meeting.
"They will come out firing, that's for sure," she said.
"They have had a couple of games now that they haven't been at their Colbo best. We are aware of that and we know they'll come out firing.
"Out of any team in the competition - and it has shown over the last few years - we match up incredibly well and the margins do show that. The margins have never been that big either way.
"But if anything, we have a really incredible ability to apply pressure for four quarters.
"That is what has got us this far in this competition, our ability to apply one-on-one pressure all over the court is outstanding.
"That is the number one thing we pride ourselves on as a team and I'm sure it's what got us over the line in our last game (against Colbinabbin)."
While it was definitely a battle last week against Elmore, Bowles believed there were still plenty of indicators of the Grasshoppers' formidable strength.
"Elmore certainly had their chances, but Colbo do what they do and keep a level head and they keep fighting and got over the line," she said.
The Demons will enter the match as favourites, albeit the Grasshoppers have generally reserved their best performances for grand final day.
Colbinabbin lost both the 2017 and '18 second semi-finals to the Demons - respectively by 19 goals and six goals - but were able to turn things around to win a flag in '17 by three goals, and come ever-so-close in '18, when the Grasshoppers fell two-goals short.
With their grand final berth secured a fortnight ago, Bowles summed the atmosphere at Scott Street as 'relaxed and exciting'.
"I feel the girls have taken it in their stride. Any mention of a grand final certainly comes with butterflies and that nervousness, but they have just taken the week as it's come," she said.
"We are full of confidence going in - I think you have to be going into a grand final.
"We have to back our ability as individuals and a team. We are really happy how we came off our last game against Colbo.
"If we can put those things back into play this week, we can be confident of a great result."
The Demons will enter the game with two additions to their 2018 premiership line-up in Yasmin Collie and Sarah Nash.
They add plenty of depth to a line-up brimming with talent, led by midcourt stars Bowles and Danni Wee-Hee, the defensive trio of league best and fairest Anna-Grace Close, Dannielle Sawyer and Bronte Deary, and the feared goaling combination of Ashley Gilmore and Rhian Moresi.
READ MORE:
Colbinabbin's Georgie Rodger finds herself in the exact same position as Bowles 12 months ago, in chasing a premiership in her first season at the helm.
The grand final appearance will be the club's eighth-straight and Rodger said her side was grateful for another opportunity at their long-standing rivals.
"We're always hungry and w know what we need to do to get over the line," she said.
"We don't think (the semi-final loss) is a reflection of who we are; they played some really polished netball and were working the ball down the court super quickly.
"We know we need to slow that down and patient. We have the line-up and we have the depth, but it's about applying those netball smarts.
"We're very excited for another opportunity and obviously hoping this time it can go the other way."
I don't know what it is, but when we suit-up against White Hills the standard absolutely lifts, and it's always a hard-fought match.
- Georgie Rodger
The Grasshoppers boast a wealth of premiership experience through goal shooter Jess Geary, dual league medallist Brydie Lawford, fellow defender Kate Chirnside, star midcourter Olivia McEvoy, and former coaches Liz Cobbledick, who led the club to back-to-back flags in 2016-17, and Lou Dupuy (2015).
Rodger, who played in last season's grand final defeat and will be more eager than most to atone, said it would be difficult to find two more evenly-matched sides.
"Their strength is definitely their cohesion - they move the ball down the court really slickly and have nice partnerships in the goal circle and down the defence end as well," she said.
"I feel when we played them in the semi-final there were patches when we took the foot off the pedal and they were able to open us up and punish us for our lapses in concentration.
"It's going to require a patient four-quarter effort, but at the same time keeping that intensity."
Rodger hoped there would be nothing like a clash against their fiercest rivals to bring out the best in her players, on the league's biggest stage.
I don't know what it is, but when we suit-up against White Hills the standard absolutely lifts, and it's always going to be a hard-fought match," she said.
"But grand final day ... anything can happen.
"You can have the best team in the whole world, but it's just a different feeling. It's anyone's game.
"They beat us two weeks ago, but hadn't beaten us until then, and last year's grand final was only two goals.
"It's not like the are miles ahead - we're not far off."
Whatever the outcome, it shapes as a big day for both clubs.
Colbinabbin will be represented in the A-grade and 17-and-under netball and senior football, while White Hills is chasing all four senior netball flags (A-grade, A-reserve, B-grade, B-reserve) and under-17 and reserve football wins.
The A-grade grand final starts at 4pm.
READ MORE:
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.
