In a rematch of last year’s Murray Netball League A-grade preliminary final, Tonny battled Nathalia at Tongala Recreation Reserve.
Downed by 16 on that day, the Blues, looking to integrate new faces into their established line-up, went down by 20 on this occasion, falling 67-47.
Nathalia jumped out to a slight early lead, leaving Tongala to chase through much of the first, but the Blues kept within a goal at the first break.
A quick run after the interval had the Purples up five and a second burst midway through the period extended the lead to double digits, Tonny going into the major break down 26-37.
Jane Cook was clinical under the ring for Nathalia and continued to extend the lead in the third, the margin stretching to 17, before the Purples closed out the game in the fourth with a 14-11 final term.
Cook was the prime focus for Nathalia inside the ring, sinking 54 of her side’s goals, while Tonny shared the load mostly between Milly Brock (18) and Chicky Vick (20).
New Tongala coach Abby Pettifer acknowledged during the week she would be moving the magnets around over the first half of the year, as she looks to find the best combinations between a talented incumbent group and the team’s recruits.
The Blues will look to secure their first points of the year this weekend, as they travel to Numurkah Showgrounds for an all-Blues affair.
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