MININERA and District Football League (MDFL) rivals, Penshurst and Glenthompson-Dunkeld, meet tomorrow in the senior elimination final at Lake Bolac Recreation Reserve, as both teams battle to remain in premiership contention.

Penshurst finished fourth with Glenthompson-Dunkeld fifth and the teams have met twice in the course of the season with the score locked at one win apiece.

Back in round two Glenthompson-Dunkeld had the better of Penshurst by 13 points, while in round 13 the Bombers gained bragging rights with a seven-point.

The Rams where wasteful in both games in front of goal with more behinds kicked than goals, and the team cannot afford to carry this into tomorrow’s game, as the Bombers will make them pay.

Many opposition clubs have taken Penshurst too lightly, looking to physically intimidate the younger players within the team, but to these players’ credit they have stood tall and used their skills with the ball to humiliate the opposition and win.

Youngsters like Henry Bensch, Noah Cameron and Archie Page have played above their age level this season and have been driving forces for the team in the 11 victories the team has earned.

The Bombers have ball winners across the park with Tim McGregor the forward target up front and Jayden Watson in the midfield winning plenty of ball along with Aaron Glare.

The Rams have their coach Tom Waters as the focal point at full forward and he is such good form that he has claimed the league goalkicking award after booting 14 goals in the final round against Moyston-Willaura last weekend.

Waters will get quality ball from Nathan Fall and Tyler Staude in the midfield, while Carl Joyce will co-ordinate the defence from centre half-back in the knockout contest for both sides..

Woorndoo-Mortlake v Wickliffe-Lake Bolac

THE qualifying final will be staged at Tatyoon Recreation Reserve today between third placed Wickliffe-Lake Bolac and second-placed Woorndoo-Mortlake.

With both teams losing last weekend, the respective form lines don’t read well, but with rested players returning to the team today, the Magpies should be a fresher unit and win through to the second semi-final next Saturday.

Reserves

GLENTHOMPSON-DUNKELD has done well to have both senior grade teams reach finals, but in the elimination final in reserves on Sunday they are pitted against SMW Rovers which won the same amount of games.

The Rams will be underdogs for the clash against the Bulldogs, but finals are a different ball game and cannot be written off entirely.

WOORNDOO-MORTLAKE and Lismore-Derrinallum will meet in the qualifying final on Saturday and with both teams only separated by percentage, it should be a very evenly fought game.

Under-16.5

THE first elimination final will be played between Great Western and Ararat in a local derby at Tatyoon Recreation Reserve, with Great Western expected to win.

Lake Bolac Recreation Reserve will host the second elimination final on Sunday between Hawkesdale-Macarthur and Tatyoon with the Eagles likely to win through to week two of the finals series.

Netball

MININERA and District Netball Association finals begin today with the qualifying final at Tatyoon Recreation Reserve, as Ararat meets third-placed Hawkesdale-Macarthur with both teams seeking to gain entry to the second semi-final next week against Tatyoon.

The battle of the two Eagles teams is going to be a highlight with each side boasting great attack and defence across the court, and the winner will come from the team that handles the finals pressure best.

Each team has improved a place on the ladder from 2022 and both are experienced at finals and all the peripheral tension that comes with being at the head of the competition.

Hawkesdale-Macarthur only met Ararat once during the season, back in round 10, which saw Hawkesdale-Macarthur fall behind by nine goals.

The team has to shut down the effectiveness of Ararat goaler, Faith Biddle, who shot 37 goals from her 48 shots in that round 10 game.

If the defence can nullify Biddle’s influence on the match, then they should advance to meet Tatyoon next week.

Woorndoo-Mortlake v Penshurst

THE elimination final is another game where the combatants go into a finals clash separated by only percentage on the ladder with the Tigers gaining the higher rung.

Penshurst should match the Tigers across the court, but in the only meeting between the teams this season, the Bombers were well beaten 24-46 and must reverse this result to reach week two on the finals series.

Rachael Mibus is the focal point of the attack for the Bombers, and if she can continue to be the force under goals that she has been this season, then Penshurst will go a long way to winning the game.

The Tigers will look to Elise Killen and Nicole Anderson to dominate the scoring circle at the other end.

Other grades

GLENTHOMPSON-DUNKELD enters the B grade qualifying final at Tatyoon with a strong hope of defeating Woorndoo-Mortlake after finishing second on the ladder.

TATYOON should be far too versatile across the court for Lismore-Derrinallum in the elimination final on Sunday at Lake Bolac.

PENSHURST has the weekend off after finishing atop the C grade ladder and will sit back awaiting the winner of Ararat and Tatyoon in the qualifying final, while Woorndoo-Mortlake and Lismore-Derrinallum face-off in the elimination final.

HAWKESDALE-MACARTHUR must defeat Lismore-Derrinallum on Sunday to advance in the 18-and-Under elimination final, while Penshurst and Caramut do battle in the qualifying final on Saturday.

LISMORE-DERRINALLUM and Moyston-Willaura are locked together on the ladder and will stage a great showdown in the elimination final of the 15-and-Under grade tomorrow.

Woorndoo-Mortlake will have to play well to get the better of Wickliffe-Lake Bolac in the qualifying final on Saturday, as the Magpies finished two games clear of the Tigers on the ladder.

CARAMUT and Great Western meet in the 13-and-Under elimination final on Sunday in a match-up that could go either way, as these teams get their first taste of finals netball. The qualifying final sees Penshurst enter the game against Woorndoo-Mortlake as firm favourites after finishing two games clear of the Tigers on the ladder.