It’s the game everyone has been waiting for as Ocean Grove and Geelong Amateur clash this weekend to see who finishes with the Bellarine Netball League minor premiership.
Grove is undefeated and Ammos have lost just once (to Ocean Grove), but with a superior percentage, can leapfrog into first on the table with a win this Saturday.
Ammos were impressive in defeating third-placed Torquay on Saturday with goaler Kim Hammond returning from injury for her first full game since early in the season.
While undefeated, Ocean Grove has been struggling to put away lower ranked teams for a few weeks now.
The Grubbers eventually overcame a dogged Drysdale on Saturday, 60 to 48. Holmes praised the performance of the seventh-placed Hawks.
“They’re a good team,” she said.
“They played well, and I felt like we were going through the motions a bit. They had nothing to lose, and they played well. I’m not going to take that away from them. They actually shot really well.
“I’m trying not to be disrespectful because Drysdale are a very good team. If you look on paper, Mia Fallon and Elise Ruggles, Olivia Young, Bree Cail, they’re all quality players.”
The Grubbers finish the home and away season with two bumper clashes – against Geelong Amateur and Torquay.
“They’re huge,” she said.
“And then it’ll just be like playing all of those teams again come finals. If we don’t win, we lose first place.
“I think it’s important to keep first place and not for resting, not for any of those reasons, but just to ensure we can get that second chance. It’s important to have the second chance. Nobody’s going to not want that.
“If you win, it guarantees you the ticket to the big dance.”
For now, Holmes will concentrate only on this Saturday’s blockbuster.
“We’ll turn our attention to what we need to do at training, focussing on our plan of attack against Ammos,” she said.
“It’s a big game and it’s important for us to keep top spot. There’s some of that stuff that we’re still trying to work out. But I have the hope and the team has the belief that we can get it done.”
GEELONG Amateur kept its end of the bargain with a 10-goal win against Torquay with Kim Hammond and Kayla Donnellon starring in goal.
NEWCOMB guaranteed a finals spot with a hard-fought four-goal win against Barwon Heads. Carly Sanders took her season’s goal tally to 561 with another 38.
QUEENSCLIFF reclaimed third spot with a 51 to 37 win against Portarlington. Tess Orvis, Jessica Rankin and Ebony Rolph were largely responsible for the victory.
ANGLESEA handed Modewarre the wooden spoon with a 50 to 36 win with Jess Croker and Ariana Luamanu each scoring 22 goals.
