Saints aim to set tone for 2019 in grand final rematch

Lisa Fyfe Dsc 3581  TBW Newsgroup
BIG IN: The return of North Gambier's Lisa Fyfe is a big in for the Tigers, as they face a tough Western Border netball grand final rematch against Millicent tomorrow to kick of the 2019 season. Picture: JAMES MURPHY

Lisa Fyfe Dsc 3581 TBW Newsgroup
BIG IN: The return of North Gambier’s Lisa Fyfe is a big in for the Tigers, as they face a tough Western Border netball grand final rematch against Millicent tomorrow to kick of the 2019 season.
Picture: JAMES MURPHY

MCLAUGHLIN Park is the venue for the Western Border netball grand final rematch and with personnel changes at both clubs, it will be an intriguing battle.

You have newly installed Millicent co-coach Donna Denton matched with North Gambier’s 2018 team-of-the-year defender Maddie Whaites.

Then there is the return of Tiger defender Lisa Fyfe taking on star Saints goaler Demi Verbena.

That looms as a key match up, with Fyfe always hunting the intercept and all-but unbeatable in the air, while Verbena is a smart player, with great pace and timing and an accurate long shot.

Paige Nitschke will be tested by the tight checking of Mel Renko, who is back in 2019, but the young Saints’ wing attack had a great 2018 on the attacking wing and is always creative on the feed.

In the middle, the battle between Lisa Duldig and Amanda O’Shaughnessy is always a tough tussle, with both having a strong defensive mindset and running hard all day.

Hannah Nitschke will have the task of denying the creative Ash Kalantarian easy access to the circle’s edge and she demonstrated in 2018 she is up for the task of sacrificing her own game to quell the influence of an opponent.

The North shooting circle is a bit of a mystery, with Ellie Gould having moved for university and Caroline Davey still recovering from her second semi-final Achilles injury.

It would not be a huge shock if Gould, in fact, pinch hit for the Tigers during university holidays, but the Tigers do have other options as well, with Olivia Patzel – assuming she has recovered from a pre-season knee injury – more than capable of standing up in A Grade company and Alisha Bryan also an option.

New coach Noni McConnell might also be an option to fill a shooting role, while Kalantarian and O’Shaughnessy have filled that position before for the Tigers.

What North does know is it will face a tough defensive duo in Millicent co-coach Hayley Dunn and rising talent Madi Haggett.

Kaitlin Egan, Gould, Davey and Jordyn Adams are all gone from the 2018 runner-up lineup, robbing the Tigers of not only quality players, but a wealth of experience, the Saints certainly start favourite.

But the gap will not be huge, with Fyfe and Renko certainly big ins for the Tigers.