By Sam Sarancino
MANSFIELD V EUROA (Football)
The prize is massive for the winner – a shot at Echuca and a chance to end a long drought without a premiership.
Euroa last won a flag in 1990 and last played in a grand final in 2005 when it lost to Seymour.
Mansfield last won a flag in 2009, which was the last time it featured in a big dance.
The Eagles have enjoyed a rapid rise up the table under Chad Owens this season.
They finished the Home and Away season in second place while the Pies had a similar rise up the table under Scott Rowan.
The Pies finished third after the Home Away rounds.
Mansfield has got to today after shaking off a challenge from Mooroopna after a first week defeat to Echuca while Euroa gets a shot at the big dance after a win in the first week and a defeat in the second semi-final last weekend.
Both have lost to short-priced premiership fancy Echuca during the finals’ series.
That said, both will be eager to get another crack at the Green Machine.
The ledger is squared at 1-1 this season, with the Eagles winning the earlier meeting at Memorial Oval and the Pies turning the tables on their rival at Mansfield Recreation Reserve later in the season.
Both teams will rely on their top line players to get them over the line today coupled with their contested brand which has won them so many games in 2022.
The team that can get the edge around the stoppages and then take their chances will win and I think it might be the Eagles who get it done.
Last meeting: R1 Mansfield 12.8.80 to Euroa 8.5.53. R9 Euroa 12.11.83 to Mansfield 2.7.19. Tip: Mansfield
SEYMOUR V MOOROOPNA (Netball)
There is no tomorrow for the loser.
But for the winner is a place in the big dance to take on Shepparton United next week.
Both teams have suffered the one defeat during the finals before getting to the preliminary final.
The Lions were able to account for the Cats in the first week of the finals, but suffered a narrow loss to Shepparton United last weekend.
The Cats were able to bounce back into premiership calculations when it accounted for Euroa after a first up defeat in week one of the finals to Seymour.
This game will go to the wire I suspect.
The Lions hold the upper head in their meetings this year, leading the win-loss ledger 2-1.
Nakita Singe missed last week’s defeat to United and the Lions will be hoping she is available this weekend.
The Cat goalers in Dayna Williams and Elle Brooks were outstanding in the win over Euroa.
They will again be important and if they can get the better of the Lions defence which also includes Sarah Szczykulski, then they could give the Cats a big show of reversing the result of the qualifying final.
Up the other end of the court, Madison Wong and Ella Ogier will have their hands full trying to contain Seymour goals Ellie O’Sullivan and Jessica Lallo.
This promises to be a cracking contest and the team that can stand up under the heat will win a shot at taking down Shepparton United in the grand-final.
Last meeting: R4 Seymour 53 d Mooroopna 33. R15 Mooroopna 36 d Seymour 32. QF Seymour 53 d Mooroopna 40. Tip: Seymour
