Melton Centrals sealed their finals spot in the Riddell District Netball League with a comprehensive win against Sunbury Kangaroos on Saturday.
Sitting in fifth entering the match, Centrals had all but sealed a top-six spot, but a win against the Kangaroos would make sure of it.
In difficult conditions, Centrals had no trouble accounting for the Kangaroos 62-30. They led at the first break and extended that at every break.
Centrals coach Randy Pereira was happy with the result.
“Sunbury aren’t a bad team and one of the better bottom teams we’ve played against,” he said. “The wind made it tough and scoring goals was hard at times.
“Our percentage is ordinary and finals spots will come down to wins for us, so we changed things around in the last quarter.”
“We put [defender] Rachel Dovaston in goals and threw other players around for a bit of fun.
“The win could have been bigger.”
The game was an opportunity for Centrals to play their full team for the first time in a number of weeks. Captain Jess May was back in the side after missing the past few weeks. May will also miss the final round of the season but will be available for finals.
Caitlin Duncan was named Centrals’ best, and Rebecca Morabito was the best of the shooters with 34 goals.
Centrals remain in fifth position, only percentage behind Rupertswood, but depending on results in the final two rounds could finish as high as third. Their final round match against third-placed Lancefield will be vital in deciding finals positions. They face seventh-placed Riddell this week.
Pereira said it would be an interesting couple of rounds with eight points separating third to sixth.
“We’re still a chance for third,” he said.
“I think it’s going to be a cracker of a finals series. Any one is good enough on their day.
“Finals is a different ball game.”
All four Centrals sides sit in the top six at this stage of the season. The under-19s and C-grade teams have also sealed their finals spots.
Pereira said the B-grade side, which is currently sixth, was under the pump to maintain its spot in the top six.
In other matches, Diggers Rest also sealed their finals spot with a 47-24 win against Rockbank. The Burras extended the lead at every break for the win.
Defensively they restricted the Rams to five or less goals in each of the first three quarters. Burras playing coach Amy Carroll shot 37, while Kari Love shot 16 for the Rams.
In other results Romsey defeated Lancefield in a thriller, a sluggish Rupertswood accounted for Riddell and Macedon was too strong for Woodend-Hesket.
