NORTH Gambier and East Gambier have played some classic preliminary finals in the past three seasons and today’s game could well be another one for the highlight reel.
The great unknown is how the Tigers will reorganise their forward line to cover then massive loss of Caroline Davey, who ruptured her Achilles last weekend.
North knows it faces an uphill battle, but there are options and one thing is for sure, whatever the Tigers put out on court will not be what East has planned for all season.
Olivia Patzel could take a shooting role, but is only just back from a serious knee injury and not 100pc.
Then, from within the current A Grade squad, Kaitlin Egan, Amanda O’Shaughnessy and Ash Kalantarian have all played goals in their careers and in Western Border A Grade matches.
Emily Close is a ready made starter in the mid court, so the options are there, but what the Tigers do not have on their side is time to trial different combinations.
This weekend is do or die in season 2018.
The good news for the Tigers is the defensive line of Maddie Whaites and Jordyn Adams played their best game in the second semi-final and they will certainly not stop looking to create turnover ball.
Ellie Gould is as hard working as any player in the competition and will be all too aware of the need to take things up another notch as she headlines the shooting circle.
The Bulldogs, by comparison, are a settled, predictable line-up.
Morgan Amy and Bo Creek have had a stunning season in circle defence, with Creek earning her first call up to the Western Border team of the year.
With Tyne Bosko applying plenty of pressure on the defensive wing, the new-look Tigers forward line will need to use patience and court craft to find a way through.
Tarsh McCallum and Sara Smith then give East great drive and pace through the mid court and their connection with Sarah Lock and newly crowned association best and fairest Tenille Gray is strong.
The danger for East is not mentally preparing as meticulously as they should given Davey’s absence, but the good news is, they were strongly challenged in the first semi-final by West Gambier and were able to show the determination in defence and composure in attack to hold on for the win.
The battle between Gray and Adams looms large as match defining, while much will also come down to which mid-court can get on top and generate some speed of ball, a style of play North, in particular enjoy.
The last three preliminary finals have arguably gone the way of the underdog, which bodes well for North, but the loss of Davey could well be too great to cover and the Bulldogs will advance to their third straight title decider.
