Girgarre now has a chance to claim the minor premiership of the Kyabram District League A-grade netball competition after previously unbeaten Lancaster dropped its first game of the season against Nagambie on Saturday.
The Kangaroos are second on the ladder after both Lancaster and previously second-ranked Shepparton East both lost their round 14 games. In the final two weeks of competition the Girgarre team has ninth-ranked Tallygaroopna and sixth-placed Stanhope, both games they should win on current form.
Lancaster and Shepparton East meet in the final home-and-away round and if the Wombats were to lose that game the superior Girgarre percentage would send it to the top rung of the ladder — if it can win both of its final two games.
Dookie United beat Shepparton East by one goal and in another thrilling finish it was a two-goal win for Nagambie against the all-conquering Wombas.
Against bottom team Rushworth on Saturday the Girgarre team had a percentage-boosting 72-24 victory, finishing full of running with a 23-5 final quarter.
Girgarre used all 10 players on its roster, starting with Darcie Stammers alongside Jacqui Gahan in goals before Kim Hanna shot 13 second-half goals at goal attack. Gahan finished the game with 51 goals, including a massive 16 in the second term.
Youngster Sophie McDonald was given a taste of the top grade when she spent the second half at goal defence, alongside Allana Adams and Abigail Sergienko.
• Lancaster lost its first game of the season on Saturday against Nagambie in a physical contest where both captains were addressed by the match official at half time.
The Wombats were again under strength, but lost the game by just two goals (35-37) and remain on top of the ladder with two rounds remaining.
At quarter time the teams were tied at 10 apiece before Nagambie took a game deciding three goal lead into half time. Only one goal separated the teams in a much lower scoring game than their first encounter this season.
Chicquite Vick shot 15 second half goals, but was kept to eight conversions in the opening half by a close checking Nagambie defence. Lancaster used 10 members of its squad during the game.
Earleir in the year a highly entertaining game between the teams saw Nagambie win by five in a match where 115 goals were scored.
They face a Stanhope team needing to win in order to remain on track for a finals berth and then Shepparton East (which they beat by 28 goals way back in round two) in the final home and away rouind.
• Stanhope has a nerve-racking two weeks to negotiate before it can claim a place in the A-grade finals for 2024.
The Lions remain sixth on the ladder after taking a nine-goal win against Murchison-Toolamaba on Saturday, but are only one game clear of seventh-ranked Violet Town. In the final two games the Stanhope team faces the top-two teams in the competition, Lancaster and Girgarre.
The main challenger to the Lions qualification attempt, Violet Town, has winnable games against Murchison-Toolamba (10th) and eighth-placed Avenel. It will expect to win both of those on the back of a return to the winners’ list on the weekend against Tallygaroopna.
Stanhope’s 50-41 win on Saturday came despite not having star defender Erin Hopkins in its ranks. Rhylee Prescott started in defence alongside regular defender Taylor Sutton, but Olivia Quattrocchi came onto the court in the second term and spent the rest of the game at goal keeper.
At the opposite end the Lions scored 24 first half goals and led by nine at half time. That margin was reduced to seven at three quarter time despite a 13 goal quarter from Stanhope goaler Jemma-Marie Wright.
She finished the game with 25 goals as Jinaya Nurse played a support role in attack.
• Merrigum will be aiming to finish its 2024 season strongly after falling just short of a fifth win for the season against Avenel on Saturday.
The Bulldogs has coach Maddy Wilson back in their ranks for the match and trailed by just three goals at half-time after 13 first-half goals from Georgia Wilson and a strong defensive display from Brenna Baker and Emma Pummeroy.
Avenel broke the game open in the third term when it increased the three-quarter-time margin to nine and despite Merrigum outscoring its opposition by four in the final term it was a 44-39 win for Avenel.
Latia Doherty finished the game with seven final-quarter goals, while Gabbey Beveridge was a constant source of supply to the goaling circle from the mid-court.