Lions, Bulldogs to play in decider

The South West Football-Netball League season comes to an end tomorrow night when the season’s two best sides, Bunbury and Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault, play for the 2016 premiership.

Bunbury is in hot form, having inflicted the Lions’ third loss for the season in the semi-final and head into the grand final at the Eaton Recreation Centre full of confidence.

Bunbury co-coach Charmaine Slater said the Bulldogs’ semi-final win came about because of the different tactics they used.

“We went out and played our own style of game, which is unlike our usual strategy,” she said.

“We have a few old bodies in the team and we needed the week’s break.”

For the Lions, the loss to the Bulldogs in the finals was a good thing, according to coach Aroha Tamatea.

“It opened up our girls’ eyes,” she said.

“It has worked in our favour. It made us come back harder in our mental preparation as well as physical preparation.”

Slater said she was confident her side could beat the Lions for the third time this season.

“We will win with grit, determination and good, clean netball,” she said.

But the Bulldogs will have to do it without star goal shooter Zoe Alberti, who has been missing since suffering a knee injury earlier this season.

This has given opportunity to the Bulldogs’ young players in centre Cassady Anderson, goal shooter Shantelle Tassone and defender Georgia Whittaker, who all played in the Souwest Jets under-18 grand final victory.

Slater said she had confidence the young players would rise to the occasion in the grand final.

“They are mature young players,” she said. “I have a lot of confidence in them.”

Tamatea said Tassone was a player the Lions need to stop tomorrow night, with defender Kate Baker likely to get the job.

“They have seven strong players on the court, but she is a big key for their team,” she said.

Tamatea said she was confident her side could match it physically with the Bulldogs.

“For us it is about resting our key players at the right time and then bringing them back on the court to have an impact,” she said.

The Lions will battle Bunbury at the Eaton Recreation Centre, with first pass at 8pm.

The Lions will contest all three grand finals, with their A-Reserve team playing Bunbury at 6.30pm and the 18 and under team taking on the Blackwood Ravens at 5pm.