Gallery | Bears put Saints to the sword in split round Goulburn Valley League netball action

And if this was a finals preview, Shepparton is already scripting the ending.

Kim Borger made sure the tone was set early.

The coach and goal shooting metronome was in full swing, sinking 26 goals in the first half before retiring to the bench to control the play from the sidelines.

By the time she sat down, the scoreboard read 30-9 with an outcome already inked.

With Borger pulling the strings early, it was Mackenzie O’Dwyer — briefly back from her Melbourne Mavericks reserves commitments — who picked up the conductor’s baton in flashes.

Injected in cameos through the centre and wing, O’Dwyer gave glimpses of what one of the nation’s top prospects can deliver in an already juiced up Bears side.

Shepparton’s leading margin was 11 at quarter-time, 21 at the half and 32 by the last change, with Benalla failing to break double digits in the first three quarters.

Shooting lodestar Bridget Hill shifted back into goal attack for the last stanza and piled on nine goals during the Saints’ most promising term, but it was merely a drop in the ocean as Hannah Crawley swung forward out of defence to bolster Shepparton’s 15-goal last quarter.

Both sides cycled through 10 players on what was a pearler of a day and it was an expected, albeit needed, victory for Borger’s Bears ahead of the most anticipated game of the season.

Shepparton versus Euroa.

First taking on second.

One unbeaten record must go.

The Magpies are coming off a polished 67-42 triumph against Echuca in a grand final rematch, showing their attacking levels as Olivia Morris ticked well past 600 goals for the season.

In other games, Mooroopna avoided a stumbling block by beating Rochester 52-41, returning the favour after the Tigers upset the Cats in round two.

Lastly, Tatura saw off the challenge of Mansfield, taking all four points following a 53-33 victory.