ALICIA McGlashan has a grand final record the envy of most netballers.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The star Kangaroo Flat defender will play in her 10th BFNL A-grade netball grand final on Saturday when the Roos clash with rival powerhouse Kangaroo Flat at the QEO.
To put her remarkable record into perspective, the rest of her team-mates have played in a combined three.
Only co-captain Chelsea Sartori (2014 and '16) and Milly Wicks ('16) have tasted premiership success at the top level, or even played in an A-grade grand final.
Six times in her previous nine A-grade grand finals, McGlashan has ended up as a premiership player.
She also played in a 19-and-under flag with the Roos in 2001, bringing her premiership total to seven from 11 grand finals.
The skilful goal keeper and goal defence and former club captain hopes to add to her excellent strike-rate against the Dragons.
"It's very exciting, but I still get nervous. It's going to be very hard work. Sandhurst is a great team," she said.
"I'm really pumped for the girls, there are some girls in our team, who haven't played in an A-grade grand final in the BFNL.
"It's a big week for them all."
There is no denying Sandhurst, which is chasing a three-peat of A-grade flags, will be the ultimate test for the Roos following their 14-goal semi-final victory.
McGlashan paid full credit to a skilful and resilient Dragons team coached by Tamara Gilchrist and Heather Oliver, but could also take positives out of the game.
"I think we were all still a bit rattled from Kate Burton's injury the week before," she said.
"While the end score didn't look great, I think we were only four goals down at three-quarter-time, so we were in it for the first three quarters," she said.
"I guess we have to work on settling into our game early and have the confidence to really attack the ball.
"If we can keep working hard and get our share of the loose balls that could really be the difference this weekend.
"They are a quality team and won't give us much, so we just have to take advantage of any opportunity we get."
Despite some mixed early season form from the Roos (they were 5-2-1 entering the second round of home and away matches), McGlashan, who this season ticked past 250 games, never lost confidence they could be a flag contender.
"I always had belief in the girls and I knew we had the talent in our team to get to a grand final," she said.
"I'm really impressed with our team, it's a really good unit.
"I'm glad we got here, but it was tough. We've had to work really hard, but the hard work has paid off."
McGlashan said a 14-goal win in the first week of finals over last season's runner-up Gisborne had showed exactly what the Roos were both made of and capable of.
(Sandhurst is) a quality team and won't give us much, so we just have to take advantage of any opportunity we get.
- Alicia McGlashan
It was a victory achieved in strenuous conditions, with fellow defender Burton succumbing to a season-ending compound ankle fracture in the final four minutes of the game.
McGlashan said the circumstances and horrific nature of the injury had certainly tested the resilience and emotions of not just the playing group, but the club as a whole.
She said thoughts of many would be with Burton on grand final day, but hoped a partially new-look defence for the Roos could rise to the occasion.
"We have been able to adapt well without Kate because Ingrid Hopkins has come back into the (goal) ring, and she has played there at times during the year," she said.
"We hadn't played there too much together this year, but last week we went out firing and combined really well.
"And Ella Wicks has come into wing defence - that was her first game ever at wing defence against Sandhurst (in the semi-final), and she did fantastic.
"Last week against Eaglehawk she did so many amazing things and put so much pressure on. She has fitted into that position so well, and at 17, I am just so proud of her.
"My first year at Kangaroo Flat was the year Ella was born - my first premiership, she was born two weeks later."
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.
