By Justin Flynn
Ocean Grove A Grade coach Mel Holmes will be hoping that her side can emulate last season’s Bellarine Netball League heroics and defeat an unbeaten Geelong Amateur in this Saturday’s grand final.
In a stunning performance last September, Ocean Grove put together its best four quarters of netball for the 2023 season to upset the unbeaten flag favourites.
The scenario is remarkably similar this time around.
“It’s not going to be easy, but the girls are up for the challenge,” first-year coach Holmes said.
“I think for us it’s limiting our errors. In those big games, making errors can really cost you so for us it’s not crumbling to that pressure and making good decisions.
“I think we’ve got the skills to do it, it’s just if we make errors, they (Geelong Amateur) can capitalise.”
The Grubbers bounced back from their second semi-defeat to easily account for Torquay in the preliminary final.
“We knew that last week we learned a few lessons and I think we kind of went back to the drawing board and went back to what we need to do well,” Holmes said.
“There was pressure on, but there were no nerves. They knew what they needed to get done and I thought they did it really well.”
Holmes agreed that 10 other clubs in the league would give anything to be in Ocean Grove’s and Geelong Amateur’s shoes this week.
The Grubbers have plenty of new faces on the court this season.
“It (making a grand final) is not easy to do,” she said.
“It’s not the same team. So the fact that we’ve been able to get it done and get there and then have a chance is amazing. So the girls are really, really excited.”
Geelong Amateur coach Mel Savage said her group had not spoken about last year’s result.
“I’m a big believer in ‘don’t look in the past, look to the future’,” she said.
“We don’t have an identical lineup (to last season). We have a very different lineup. So we’re looking to the future and there’s no point looking back. We can’t wait. We are really, really excited about the challenge ahead.”
Ammos have won all three encounters against the Grubbers this season by 17 goals in round 6, by five in round 15 and by five in the second semi-final.
Savage watched Grove’s preliminary final win against Torquay, but said at this time of year it was always unlikely she would learn anything new about her opponents.
“We’ll just focus on what we do,” she said.
“I think their lineup is pretty settled. We didn’t learn anything new that we didn’t (already) know throughout the season.”
Savage said the battle between prolific goalshooter Ruby Watson and star goalkeeper Georgia Berry will be worth watching.
“That’s always a good match-up,” she said.
“As a defender (Berry) matches her (Watson) obviously with her height, but also with physicality. So that would be a really great match-up and probably the other one for me is in the centre.
“The two Georgias – Georgia Duncan and Georgia Ryan – I’m really looking forward to their contest. Obviously I’ve coached Georgia Ryan and I know the type of player she is. If we can get the upper hand in the midcourt, I’m really confident of what we can do. It will be a great challenge.
“As a squad, there is just this real strong belief in our own ability and the process. (We’re) focusing purely on ourselves and what we’re doing and that has been a big focus all season. We’ll control the controllables.”
All grand finals are at Leopold Memorial Reserve on Saturday September 7.
13 & UNDER DIVISION 1: Queenscliff vs Torquay at 9.15am.
13 & UNDER DIVISION 2: Torquay vs Ocean Grove at 8am.
15 & UNDER DIVISION 1: Geelong Amateur vs Portarlington at 11.45am.
15 & UNDER DIVISION 2: Torquay vs Geelong Amateur at 8am.
17 & UNDER DIVISION 1: Portarlington vs Geelong Amateur at 9.15am.
17 & UNDER DIVISION 2: Geelong Amateur vs Ocean Grove at 1.05pm.
19 & UNDER: Drysdale vs Barwon Heads at 10.30am.
E GRADE: Geelong Amateur vs Ocean Grove at 2.05pm.
D GRADE: Ocean Grove vs Geelong Amateur at 10.30am .
C GRADE: Ocean Grove vs Modewarre at 11.45am.
B GRADE: Geelong Amateur vs Torquay at 1.05pm.
A GRADE: Geelong Amateur vs Ocean Grove at 3.15pm.
