Eastlakes-Mangoplah-Cookardinia United's under 15 netballers will lead the club into grand final day, aiming for an upset against an all-conquering Turvey Park on Sunday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
EMCU will be the best represented club with four netball teams in Wagga and District Junior Football and Netball League deciders, as well as two football teams.
In what will be the final game of the day (4.15pm start), the under 15s are hoping to record their first ever win against Turvey Park in their last game in juniors.
EMCU qualified with a strong win over Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong, 35-19, while Turvey Park overcame a gallant North Wagga 39-30 in their semi-final.
Coach Stacey Hunt said the unbeaten Bulldogs will be a huge challenge but she's been rapt in her team's improvement after last year's season ended with a preliminary final loss to Wagga Tigers in double extra time.
"I've had them for four years now and this is the first time they've made the grand final... they've just gone one step further (in their development) and they completely deserve to be there," Hunt said.
"Even though they're slightly different ages and from different schools, as a group they're a great bunch of friends and I think they play for each other."
Consistency at training has helped take the team to their best season. Led by star shooter Ava Moller (who was best on court in Wagga Netball's under 18 grand final last Saturday) and goalkeeper Katie Fawns, the Eastlakes under 15s have dropped only one game - to reigning premiers Turvey in the final home-and-away round.
"If they play their absolute best, I think we're definitely in with a chance," Hunt said. "To have not ever made a grand final and make one in their last junior netball year, that's the best way to end, even if they don't win."
EMCU will feature in the first three netball grand finals on the day with the under 10s, 11s and 12s all reaching the premiership decider.
EMCU's under 15 footballers also saw improvement this year but fell short of a grand final when beaten by North Wagga last Sunday.
The teams had shared the victories in their two meetings during the season but the Goannas couldn't match the Saints on semi-final day.
The first under 15s team the club has fielded in three years was coached by Mangoplah-CUE senior footballer Lachie Kendall.
"They were a great bunch of blokes to coach. They all had their heads screwed on footy-wise," Kendall said, giving credit to previous coaches Rick Collins and Pete Mohr.
"I enjoyed the whole season coaching them. It was just unlucky to bow out the way we did but that's finals footy. They were playing some really good footy."
The loss of key ball-getter Luke Mazzocchi a couple of weeks before finals hurt, and Kendall said the Saints didn't allow Eastlakes to play their natural game and took the rewards.
Fellow midfielder James Godde was another standout all season, along with Isaac Molloy off half-back.
Kendall said he loved the coaching experience, saying it opened his eyes to seeing the game differently himself. He worked hard on developing their game as a team and hopes to see plenty of his players progress to MCUE seniors.
"I was trying to encourage them all to stick around and play again because that group is going to be huge for Mango if they stay there," Kendall said.
"The one thing that I tried to bring was the way they moved the footy. From the contest, running in numbers and outrunning a team from the contest. And going for a 100 per cent option instead of just rushing it and I feel like we did that the whole season except in our last game."
Eastlakes' under 12s and under 13s will fly the club colours on grand final day after both knocked out GGGM sides.
The Lions have three netball teams in grand finals. Turvey Park will feature in three netball and two football games. Wagga Swans have qualified for one netball and two football grand finals; Wagga Tigers for one netball and one football and North Wagga will oppose Tigers in that under 14s football game.
A big day of football and netball at Robertson Oval will get underway at 8.45am with the under 10s netball.
Games are spaced apart to allow for a changeover of teams and supporters (with only one adult per child encouraged to attend). There aren't to be more than 500 spectators at the ground at any one time.
AFL Riverina will livestream the games.
WDJFNL Grand Finals:
Netball:
Under 10s: 8.45am - Eastlakes MCU V GGGM Lions
Under 11s: 10.15am - Eastlakes MCU V Turvey Park
Under 12s: 11.45am - Eastlakes MCU V Wagga Swans
Under 13s: 1.15pm - Wagga Tigers V GGGM Lions
Under 14s: 2.45pm - GGGM Lions V Turvey Park
Under 15s: 4.15pm - Turvey Park V Eastlakes MCU
Football:
Under 12s: 9.30am - Eastlakes MCU V Wagga Swans
Under 13s: 11.30am - Eastlakes MCU V Turvey Park
Under 14s: 1.30pm - Wagga Tigers V Wagga Swans
Under 15s: 3.30pm - Turvey Park V North Wagga
Last Sunday's netball semi-finals results:
Under 10s:
Eastlakes MCU 20 d North Wagga 5
GGGM 9 d Wagga Tigers 7
Under 11s:
Turvey Park 15 d North Wagga 11
Eastlakes MCU 21 d The Rock 5
Under 12s:
Wagga Swans 17 d Wagga Tigers 13
Eastlakes MCU 27 d GGGM 14
Under 13s
Wagga Tigers 22 d Turvey Park 18
GGGM 29 d Eastlakes MCU 24
Under 14s:
Turvey Park 28 d Wagga Tigers 16
GGGM 40 d Coolamon 18
Under 15s:
Turvey Park 39 d North Wagga 30
Eastlakes MCU 35 d GGGM 19
Last Sunday's football semi-finals results:
Under 12s:
Wagga Swans 4.3 (27) d Turvey Park 3.1 (19)
Eastlakes MCU 4.1 (25) d GGGM Lions 1.0 (6)
Under 13s:
Turvey Park 6.9 (45) d Coolamon 4.2 (26)
Eastlakes MCU 8.8 (56) d GGGM Lions 3.4 (22)
Under 14s:
Wagga Tigers 7.11 (53) d Turvey Park 3.2 (20)
Wagga Swans 9.10 (64) d North Wagga 1.5 (11)
Under 15s:
Turvey Park 17.27 (129) d Coolamon 2.2 (14)
North Wagga 14.13 (97) d Eastlakes MCU 5.8 (38)