WILL the Ballarat Football League A-grade netball trophy stop in Melton on Saturday or will it continue on its merry way back home to Sunbury?
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The all-conquering Sunbury outfit will be out to defend its title and claim back-to-back premierships, while the Bloods will be out to break a 13-year drought.
Arguably the two best sides in the BFNL this year, the two eastern teams will lock horns in what promises to be a clash for the ages.
And if the previous meeting between the pair is anything to go by, we are set for an absolute thriller.
The last two times these sides met, extra time was needed to separate them, with Sunbury proving too good, winning by four goals.
However, what that match showed was that a flip of the coin is possibly the only way to split these two.
Throw in the fact the Bloods actually beat Sunbury by 16 goals in round three (the Lions’ only loss for the year) and picking a winner becomes even harder.
For Sunbury, the return of Lee Chicas from injury will be a big inclusion, certain to add some solidarity and toughness to the wing defence position.
Coach Kim Bailey said it had been a difficult year for the club in a number of ways.
Not only was the football side a rare absentee for the majority of the finals series, the tragic death of Albert and Marie Rizk on board the doomed Malaysian Airlines flight during the year rocked Clarke Oval.
“It’s been a really tough year at the club for us this year. If we were lucky to win this year it may be the boost we need,” Sunbury coach Kim Bailey said.
“We don’t have the boys in with us, we’ve really missed that but their support has been great.
“It would be great to go back to back but that’s not really on our minds, it’s a whole new season this season.”
For Melton, coach and gun goal shooter Melissa McCauley said she did not feel there was any added pressure in that her side had not tasted the ultimate victory since 2001.
Unlike Sunbury, the Bloods have had to play every week of finals since going down to the Lions in the second semi final.
“It would mean the same if you’ve been there last year or not,” McCauley said.
“It would be fantastic to win it for the club. What would it mean for players to win? You can never take away that premiership feeling.”
McCauley looms as the key attacking target that Sunbury needs to stop, although she feels the game will be won or lost in the midcourt.
But if it does come down to the Lions needing to stop McCauley, what tricks does Bailey have up her sleeve?
“I don’t know, we might just have to kick her in the shins before the game,” Bailey said with a smile.