Watch the replays: Netball SA Premier League preliminary final live stream between Matrics and South Adelaide
A confident Matrics side has swept aside South Adelaide to progress to the Netball SA Premier League grand final. Relive the action in the full match replay.
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It has taken one devastating quarter for Matrics to propel itself into another grand final date with its arch rival and crush the dreams of South Adelaide in the process.
The Netball SA Premier League preliminary final was tightly poised at half-time on Friday night before the Stars ratcheted up the pressure to charge to a 77-43 victory.
All the action was exclusively live streamed by KommunityTV from Netball SA Stadium.
WATCH THE PREMIER LEAGUE REPLAY ABOVE
Matrics will now meet Contax in the decider for the fourth-straight year and ninth time since 2010.
The preliminary final was an entertaining affair early with the two sides trading blows to be separated by five goals at the main break.
Matrics’ confidence and experience came to the fore in the game-defining 20-7 third term, which gave South the tall and ultimately unreachable order of bridging an 18-goal gap to take victory.
But the Stars put the game to bed and sent a message ahead of next Friday’s decider with a 22-6 final quarter.
The Panthers’ dreams of a first ever Premier League grand final appearance were crushed, though the club would no doubt be proud of a history-making preliminary final debut and overall impressive 2022 season.
Matrics also set up a meeting with Contax in the reserves decider.
The Stars, who lost their first game of the season in last week’s semi-final, responded convincingly with a strong 64-46 victory over Oakdale to win through to the grand final next week.
REPLAY: MATRICS v OAKDALE (RESERVES)
PRELIMINARY FINAL PREVIEW
South Adelaide is embracing its role as the fairytale finals side as it prepares to keep its roaring momentum going in the battle for a Netball SA Premier League grand final spot.
The Panthers, who have already made history by making a top-level preliminary final for the first time in club history, will take on Matrics this Friday night for the right to face Contax in the decider.
The Premier League preliminary final as well as the reserves – between Matrics and Oakdale – will be exclusively live streamed by KommunityTV from 7pm.
WATCH THE LIVE STREAM ABOVE FROM 7PM
It has been a memorable run already for the Panthers, whose spot in the playoffs appeared a tough feat only weeks ago, before a last round push snuck them into the top four followed by a rousing semi-final win over Tango on Friday.
South Adelaide coach Dani Johnson said her team had the mindset and belief to continue its surge.
But she was acutely aware of the task of taking on competition powerhouse Matrics, which has featured in 10 of the past 12 Premier League grand finals.
“We’re about to make history playing in a preliminary final but we can only take on what’s in front of us,” Johnson said.
“We’re obviously taking it week by week … after the match we enjoyed the moment but then we got back to work on Monday ready to focus on Matrics.
“It’s about bringing it together as a team on Friday night and our crowd. They’ve been a massive support all through the season and we have an extra helping hand when they bring their voices.”
South and Matrics split their minor round matchups one apiece – the Panthers taking a two-point thriller in round four before the Stars claimed a heavy victory in round 11’s Covid-affected clash.
Matrics coach Jacqui Illman said they had moved on quickly from the disappointing four-goal semi-final defeat to Contax and backed her side to respond on Friday.
“We certainly take some learnings out of the semi-final but we didn’t play poorly or anything like that, so we’re happy with our game plan and our processes,” Illman said.
“We’re looking at the positives that having to be put under pressure again in another good final will be good for us.
“South is a super competitive unit and we know we’ll have our work cut out.”
Matrics and South Adelaide’s preliminary final will be exclusively broadcast here from 7pm on Friday night.
Then, at 8.30pm, Matrics will take on Oakdale for a spot in the reserves grand final.
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