With all 10 of the club's netball and football teams to contest finals this year, it's a great time to be a Panther.

Plenty of the buzz surrounds the Panthers' A-grade netball team, which on Sunday will break a 10-year LVFNL finals drought when they take on Bridgewater in the elimination final.

The Panthers, who will go into the game as underdogs, have not played finals at the top level of Loddon Valley netball since 2011.

Rarely in the years in between have they challenged for finals. Their best finishes to a season in the last eight years have come in 2014 and '18 when they ended up seventh.

For a club that last won an A-grade flag in 1992, the hype is both infectious and understandable.

The only downside to a breakout season - COVID-19 interruptions aside - has been a pair of season-ending ACL injuries to Dalton and Kate Healey.

It's been a tough pill to swallow for Dalton, the club's captain and a standout for the Panthers over the last five A-grade seasons, with two best and fairest awards and a pair of runner-up awards.

She has, however, found plenty of solace in the team's spirited performance in her absence.

"I'm pretty gutted, but at the same time, when you are sitting on the sidelines watching these girls play the way they do, and the dynamic they have, it doesn't matter," said Dalton, who underwent knee surgery two weeks ago.

"I mean, it is a shame to miss out, but I know I have contributed somehow.

"I might not be playing, but I'm still just as excited for the girls.

"Because I have been here a fairly long time, I have seen a lot of people come here seeking success and then head off after a couple of unsuccessful seasons.

"We have been so lucky of late having girls stick around. We didn't get a season in last year, but all the girls still wanted to play this year. We didn't need to have tryouts this year."

The Panthers' rise to finals contenders has been two years in the planning.

A solid pre-season on the recruiting front before the 2020 season netted midcourter Kirsty Hamilton and defender Rebecca Cluff. Despite the season being cancelled, both were quick to recommit for 2021.

Further reinforcements arrived this year in the form of attacking midcourter Brittany Shannon, from North Bendigo, and one of the league's top defenders Tracey O'Donnell, from rival club Newbridge.

They joined A-grade holdovers Dalton, Teagan Bickerdike and coach Bianca Garton, and rejuvenated goal shooter Brittany Hercus, back in A-grade after playing in B-grade in 2019.

It's a combination that has proved ultra-competitive in notching up seven wins in 12 games, with all but one of the Panthers' losses by a single-figure margin.

Their best performances have included a stirring one round win over Calivil United (which broke another long drought) and a nail-biting two-goal win late in the season over Pyramid Hill, which ultimately sealed a finals spot and eliminated the Bulldogs from contention.

Garton, who was initially appointed for the cancelled 2020 season, could not be happier with how the season has panned out.

"Given we are a brand new team - we have five new faces - have had two ACLs and Tracey come in halfway, I'm really happy with how it's turned out," she said.

"I keep reminding the girls how well they've done.

"To fall into fourth spot as well, we haven't just scraped in (to finals), we've earned it. So, from here on, we are going to give it everything."

The Panthers will get to play their comeback final at home. Albeit, with no crowds allowed, just how much of an advantage that will be is debatable.

"I'm sure we will have enough Marong people there on duties, so hopefully they might make some noise," Garton said.

With their round six clash as a guide, little should separate the Panthers and Mean Machine, who finished with identical 7-5 win-loss records.

Bridgewater claimed victory on that occasion by four-goals, prevailing 57-53 at Sunday's venue.

In terms of pure finals experience, the Panthers will be conceding a bit of ground to the Mean Machine, who have been regulars in most senior netball grades over the past decade.

Bridgewater last won an A-grade flag in 2018 - and before that in 2011 - and have won three B-grade, three C-grade and on C-reserve flags since 2015.

Garton is confident the Panthers can turn the tables, her hopes bolstered by the addition of key defender O'Donnell, who missed the teams' earlier season clash, and will have the job on star Mean Machine goal shooter Claudia Collins.

"Even though that loss was early in the season, none of us have played too many games since, so we will probably be a bit scratchy," she said.

"But I know we match up really well with Bridgey. It should be a cracking game and it should go down to the wire.

"It was only four goals last time, but we led the whole game and we let it slide in the last quarter.

"I know exactly what we did wrong. I'm hoping that we don't do that again.

"I know the girls are very excited and feeling very proud to have made it into finals.

"We don't want to waste that opportunity, so we are going to give it everything."

Garton said her heart went out to Dalton, who had remained loyal to the club despite limited team success in previous seasons.

"She has been there forever and a day at Marong and I really feel for her having to sit on the sidelines," she said.

"But she has a great attitude and is really positive, so she's great to still have around."

For her part, Dalton is backing her team-mates to make the most of their opportunity, after clinching their finals berth on the back of four wins from their last five games.

"Absolutely we can win," she said.

"We've been very fortunate with our players this season that if there has been an injury, we've adapted to it.

"I feel with Kate's injury and Tracey coming back late, we haven't had a solid run at what we can be, but with what we've done recently, there's plenty of fire in the team.

"I've never seen this place so excited."

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