Sometimes you can just feel a storm coming.
Though there’s been no noticeable change in humidity, rolling of distant thunder or drop in air pressure across the Goulburn Valley, a south-bound hurricane hits Kings Park this Saturday ― and its name is Moorooopna.
The Cats have reclaimed top spot in the Goulburn Valley League A-grade ladder and seek to wedge the gap further when meeting Seymour, three months on from dealing with the 2022 flag-holder 35-23 in round four.
Is Seymour ready this time around? It thinks so.
The Lions halted Euroa’s ascent last weekend with a plucky 18-goal win on the road, shunting the Magpies off the summit while gaining some of their own ground back in the wash up.
“I think it took the full effort of all seven of the girls out on court and on the bench to try and get on top of them,” Semour coach Ellie Fuhrmeister said.
“I think we just connected really well and our ball speed was really good.
“We’ve been building towards putting out a really good performance and I think it all came together in last week’s game.”
Seymour has found the formula when it comes to late-season charges.
The Lions have not lost a game in finals since 2018 and have perfected the ‘‘peak at the right time’’ trope that so many coaches mention.
Fuhrmeister knows the season is a race, not a sprint, and her charges are steadily chugging towards the finish line.
That’s not to say she isn’t bracing for the storm this weekend.
“I think it’s always scary, but I think it’s good to play top sides because it shows where you’re really sitting leading into finals,” she said.
“We’ll hopefully be able to carry this connection again from this week into next week and keep building on and improving on the few little things that didn’t go our way.
“It’ll be good to have another battle out on court.”
For the travelling side, Mooroopna’s trajectory this season is marginally better in comparison to last year at the round 15 mark.
However, the Cats went on to win their last four games of the regular season in 2022 and if they are to replicate the run this year, strength at both ends will be vital.
Di Hanslow’s side possesses the best defensive record in the competition’s top eight with 441 goals conceded, but also put up the lowest numbers in the shooting category (611).
With Ash Lancaster lining up next to a different goaling partner each week, creating some chemistry around the ring may be the fuse breaker for Mooroopna to sail home to a minor premiership after missing out last year by 1.83 per cent.