Sport
12 September, 2024
Panthers primed to claim cup after ending decade-long grand final drought
Rupanyup takes on Laharum in Stawell.
The Rupanyup Panthers will take to the court on Saturday, September 14 to contest the clubs first A grade grand final in decades, and will be hoping to go one better than the club has ever before, but will need to do so against an unbeaten Laharum Demons.
Panthers A grade coach Jedda Heard said 'it's big' for her side to put the Panthers back in the A grade grand final.
"It's really good for the club, and it's good for us, we're really excited," said Heard.
The Panthers qualified for the with victory in a tense prelim against Noradjuha Quantong.
Inseparable after four quarters of netball, extra time was called for in search of a victor, and it was the Panthers who took control.
"I just told the girls to keep going," Heard said.
"Don't drop. Get that pressure up and keep playing the way we're playing. It was going to fall in eventually.
"If we held our heads and did what we needed to do, it was going to fall into place at some point."
The Panthers will match up against Laharum in the season's decider, and while the Demons have remained undefeated through the season, Rupanyup gave them their greatest scare.
In round 11, the Panthers came within one goal of Laharum. The two sides haven't met on court since.
"I think it's going to be really really physical," Heard said.
She highlighted the area around the wing attack and goal attack, where Rupanyup's Maddison Morgan, Ally Hiscock and Bianca Drum will likely match up with Laharum's Emalie Iredell and Rylee Hateley to be key.
But, Heard said the grand final is likely going to be a defenders game.
"It's going to be the team that can apply the most pressure, that can stop that ball from getting down the court, that's going to win the game," she said.