Tara Murray
The Sunbury Lions find themselves better placed than last year heading in the Ballarat Netball League finals.
A win against Darley, which has played off in the past two grand finals, was all but enough to lock in a top two spot.
On Saturday, the Lions made sure of that with an 85-65 win against East Point.
Rebecca Hicks shot 71 goals for the Lions.
Speaking before the match with East Point, Lions coach Kim Bailey said they were pretty happy with how things were tracking.
The Lions sit on top entering the final round.
“Third was great last year but it does disadvantage you at times as well,” she said. “We have a little more confidence as well.
“It [top two] gives you a little more assurance and a double chance. The top three or four, anyone is a chance.”
The Lions win against the Devils was an important one, not only in terms of ladder position but confidence heading into finals.
Lani Fauonuku and Elly Randall both missed the game, with Mackenzie Wood again stepping up from B-grade and showing she belongs at that level.
Bailey said her goaling combination of Bec Hicks and Tara O’Grady were on fire.
“We got it out to 14 goals at one stage and then we relaxed a little bit,” she said. “We can not take the foot off the pedal.”
“It was also Tayla Honey’s first full game for the season.”
Bailey said they would continue to work Honey back to full fitness after missing several weeks through injury.
She said Honey was still a bit underdone.
“We’re easing her back in,” she said. “We didn’t push her that hard.
“She’s getting some game fitness under her belt but we’re still managing her load. She adds an extra dimension to our side and Simona [Di Filippo] plays a different game when Tayla is out there.”
The Lions finish their regular season on Saturday against bottom side Bacchus Marsh.
Bailey said they would look to use the game to try some things.
“It might give us the opportunity to give some more of the others a bit of a run,” she said.
“Ava Hellyer is in B-grade, Emily Conn is another who might get a run.
“We have a great relationship with Bacchus Marsh, it should be a good day.”
The Lions are likely to have four of their six netball teams in finals.
Having only had three sides on the court a couple of years ago, Bailey said it was a really good achievement.
