Live stream: Hawks Netball take on Boroondara Express in VNL Championship preliminary final

Boroondara Express and North East Blaze are through to their respective VNL grand finals but both experienced very different journeys. Watch the C’ship and U23 premlins in full REPLAYS.

A dominant first half has been enough to propel Boroondara Express into next week’s VNL grand final after the clock worked against a gritty Hawks Netball fightback in their preliminary final.

Express will now take on red-hot favourites City West Falcons in the decider following the 51-47 result, which was much closer than anticipated as the Hawks rallied late.

A couple of controversial decisions and then three consecutive goals to Express seemed to kill off the contest early in the fourth quarter.

REPLAYS

Boroondara Express v Hawks Netball (Championship)

Watch the full relay in the window above.

Melbourne University Lightning v North East Blaze (23 & U)

But the Hawks’ credit, they fought bravely to reduce the margin to just goals at the buzzer.

For Express, Zali Anderson, Taylah Brown and Alahria Smith were resourceful and set up many attacking manoeuvres, while experienced duo Ruby Barkmeyer and shooter Isabelle Hodgson did the rest.

Express had things pretty much their own way from the opening whistle as they quickly established and maintained a healthy lead.

Only 17 goals for the first two quarters left the Hawks with a mountain of work to do.

They just couldn’t manufacture enough efficient attacking forays from the centre. A lack of opportunities also came courtesy of Boroondara’s watertight defence.

Hawks’ Kaylia Stanton did well despite limited chances.

Led by Stanton, the Hawks did show much more in the third quarter as they added 17 goals to double their score and reduce the margin to seven goals at the last change.

Surprise packets North East Blaze have pulled off a thrilling extra-time victory to march into the inaurugal 23 & Under grand final where they will take on Hawks Netball.

Their incredible one-goal victory condemned Melbourne University Lightning to a straight-sets finals exit after finishing on top of table and only losing one game during the regular season.

It was thrilling stuff as both teams threw caution to the wind in pursuit of a spot in next week’s decider.

Lightning and Blaze finished normal time locked together at 57-all after a crazy few final minutes which had big crowd in a frenzy.

Both teams began the extra 15 minutes (two 7min30sec halves) with a more defensive mindset, favouring a high possession game.

Blaze held a slender one-goal advantage after the first half of extra time (61-62).

And that’s where the margin would stay despite some superb end-to-end ball movement until the final buzzer decided the contest 68-67.

PREVIEW

Annabelle Gorman believes the Hawks’ championship VNL squad are more accustomed to pressure after their drought-breaking finals win, with a grand final berth now in their sights.

The Hawks won their first VNL championship semi-final in 13 years last week, with goal attack Gorman and several of her teammates playing in their first-ever VNL final.

Catch them LIVE and EXCLUSIVE against Boroondara Express on Wednesday night in the Championship preliminary final. Also, watch the 23 & U match-up between Melbourne Uni Lightning and North East Blaze earlier.

Check the full LIVE STREAM schedule below.

With nerves natural ahead of the match, Gorman felt the Hawks didn’t let themselves get overwhelmed in the final minutes against North East Blaze.

“I reckon that last five minutes of the final quarter, we were all, ‘oh my god I think we’re going to win’ but we stayed so composed, it was just so nice, stuck to our structures,” she said.

Now the AJ Ballantyne-coached Hawks face a more intense pressure cooker – a preliminary final against Boroondara – as they look to join their 23-and-under side in grand final week.

Hawks star Annabelle Gorman. Pic: Grant Treeby

For Gorman, 25, the chance to play finals is a foreign feeling, joining the Hawks this year after a decade progressing through Southern Saints’ development pathway, with her highest finish in a season eighth.

Seeking a change, Gorman said Hawks’ strong club culture was well-known around the league and played a part in getting her across.

The chance to work with goal shooter and captain Kaylia Stanton has borne fruit, with Gorman, a moving goal attack with a strong front drive, taking her game to new levels with Stanton and Ballantyne’s help.

“ (Kaylia’s) such an experienced goaler, but she’s also a great leader on court,” Gorman said.

“She’s really helped me develop as a goal attack. I’ve never really played with such a dominant goal shooter before so that was something I had to adjust to my game.

“(AJ) always backs me, like ‘go for your shots, K’s there but back yourself as a goal attack’.

“That confidence within the circle has really helped me.”

The Hawks will take confidence into their preliminary final against a more finals-tested Express line-up, their past meetings this season a two-goal loss in round 4 and draw in round 11.

Gorman believed the Hawks’ attitude to learn and put their bodies on the line for their teammates had served them well against more experienced line-ups this year.

Hawks midcourter Eryn Stocker. Pic: Grant Treeby/Netball Vic

And now, with the added belief from their composed semi-final performance, Gorman knows the Hawks can take it right up to Express.

“Something we’d been working on throughout the season was looking after specific moments, those points in the game where key moments are make or break,” Gorman said.

“I think we’d almost been preparing for it the whole season. In that (semi-final) game, the only thing we had to rely on was those structures and I think everyone was really sure of the game plan and we knew exactly what everyone was doing.

“It’s just exciting, Wednesday’s game, because we know what to expect with the pressure.

“And the thing is, finals, everyone just brings it out so you have to bring a full four quarters because Boroondara will be giving it to us for the full 60 minutes.”

Originally published as Live stream: Hawks Netball take on Boroondara Express in VNL Championship preliminary final