Making a grand final requires taking risks, and Sunbury Lions were rewarded for their risks in the Ballarat Netball League preliminary final on Saturday.
Trailing Lake Wendouree by three goals at quarter-time, Lions coach Adam Boldiston decided he needed to make changes. So he made several.
The changes saw a major turnaround of fortunes and Lions went on win 50-37.
Boldiston said he knew he was taking a big risk making so many changes early in the game.
Ruth Smith came on in goal attack to replace Abby Healy, Katelyn Begley moved from wing attack to centre, Kate Fletcher came on at wing attack, Prue Stanley went to the bench and he switched his defenders around.
“I’ve never made that many changes in one go before,” Boldiston said.
“It’s the risk you face and you wonder if you’re making the right decisions.
“I needed to back my instincts.”
Those instincts worked and the Lions led by three goals at half-time and extended that in the second half.
Boldiston was pleased some of the younger players stepped up.
“I could have left Prue on but I didn’t think it was the right match-up,” he said.
“It was a risk taking off one of the senior players, but the younger ones stepped up in the midcourt with the extra height.”
Injuries and player absences during the year meant Boldiston knew he could trust every player once on the court.
“We haven’t had a full quota of players to pick from most of the year,” he said.
“I now have the luxury of having nine players I know can handle it.”
He said the return of Fletcher was important to the side.
“Her feeding and vision into the circle was brilliant. They had to double-team her,” he said.
Boldiston was relieved to have made the grand final in his first season as coach after the Lions had played in the previous two grand finals under Kim Bailey.
“I felt a lot of pressure and I put a lot of pressure on myself,” Boldiston said.
“It’s a new team and there was that feeling when we had losses early in the season that maybe it wasn’t going to work. We have done the right things to get the rewards.”
The Lions will play North Ballarat City in the grand final at Ballarat’s Eastern Oval on Saturday.
City won 63-61 in the only match-up between the two sides this season.
“Last time we played them it was a shoot-out,” Boldiston said. “We took a lot out of that game and were disappointed we lost. We got nervy at the end.
“All the pressure is on North Ballarat who is undefeated. We have nothing to lose.”
