Three will become two this week as sides from Echuca, Moama, Echuca United and Tongala battle to earn their place, while the early qualifiers await their opposition on grand final day.
In Murray A-grade, Tongala is the last top-grade hope remaining after a gruelling set of elimination rounds, and now has to face an impressive Nathalia outfit on the Purples’ home court.
Coach Grace Hammond isn’t counting her side out.
“They’re hungry, and they will have that home crowd, but I think we’ve proven that we can step up against the bigger sides,” she said.
“It’s nothing to do with anything fancy that we do as a side, we’re playing for one another.
“We’re not a team of individuals, we are a team, and that’s been a big driving force for us in these finals.”
In the GVL, Echuca’s B-grade netballers stand alone in terms of early grand final qualification and await the winner of Seymour and Euroa in the decider.
The side made an unlikely run from fifth to be the first to book a spot in the grand final.
Two Echuca junior sides are hoping to join their B-grade compatriots on the final day, but will have to negotiate the prelims to get there.
The Murray Bombers’ under-15 netballers must go through Shepparton United to get to Mooroopna in the decider, while in the thirds football, five-time champion Echuca faces Mooroopna, looking to play Shepparton Bears in the grand final.
All GVL preliminary finals will be held at Deakin Reserve on Sunday.
In the Murray League, the lower netball grades are packed with local influence, with Tongala (B, C, C-reserve) and Moama (17-, 15-, 13-and-under) already through to grand finals.
Plenty of sides are in the running to join them.
In B-grade, Moama and Echuca United will battle to join the Blues, while United is also in the hunt in C-grade, taking on Congupna.
In 17-and-under, it is the Blues and Eagles trying to join Moama in the decider, while in 13-and-under, Tongala takes on Mulwala for a grand final place.
Although it was a disappointing end to Moama’s senior season, the Mowers are still alive in all three lower football grades.
The under-17s are straight into the decider and will play either Cobram or Mulwala.
In the reserves, the Mowers battle Cobram, looking to meet Congupna in the grand final, while the under-14s are chasing a spot against the Tigers when they take on Deniliquin Rams.
All Murray League preliminary finals will be held at Nathalia Recreation Reserve on Saturday.
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