IT'S been a difficult juggling act, but Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong's new netball coach Courtney Menzies hopes her players' success on the football field will translate to the court.
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A number of Lions netballers have played pivotal roles in their unbeaten run to Friday's semi final clash with Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes.
With netball season just three weeks away, players have been cramming two netball training sessions, a football session and a football game into each week.
GGGM has scored 366 points and conceded just 31 in seven straight wins, and will be heavily favoured to beat the Goannas and advance to the grand final in the team's second season.
But Menzies said they won't be taking MCUE lightly after they shocked East Wagga Kooringal in last week's semis to advance to the final four.
"It will be interesting with Mango, they beat East Wagga and they're a good side, so we'll definitely go out hard," she said.
"Even though we're winning most games easily we're doing those small things that count at training to make sure we're ready for finals. Making sure our skills are up to scratch and every little thing counts."
Menzies feels the netballers will gain some benefits out of playing football, and is happy to bide her time to get her hands on them full time before the Riverina League season begins.
"We've definitely got some fitness from football which will translate into netball," she said.
"We're making sure we don't overdo it as well because we've got so much on during the week with netball and footy.
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"I know Alice Kenny and Prue Walsh were getting shin splints, but our coach Luke Walsh is giving us a really good recovery program to follow, and making sure the girls are doing what they can handle to go into both seasons ready to go.
"We were meant to have a scratch match next Thursday for netball, but I whether we'd do that if we make the grand final as it's the day before the game.
"All the girls are pumped up about the footy, hopefully that will just follow through into the netball."
The preliminary finals will be held as a double header at Bolton Park on Friday night.
Collingullie-Glenfield Park and North Wagga begin proceedings at 6.30pm, followed by the Lions and Goannas at 7.30pm.
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