The Women’s Premier League grand final will be a Waratah-Districts matchup again

WARATAH and Southern Districts will go around again in the Women’s Premier League grand final after nailbiting wins in their respective preliminary finals

Southern Districts’ Maria Moussa and Buffette Dominique Carbone contest the footy. Moussa was again among the Crocodile’s best players. Picture: GLENN CAMPBELL

WARATAH and Southern Districts will go around again in the Women’s Premier League grand final after nailbiting wins in their respective preliminary finals.

Last season’s grand finalists qualified for a rematch 12 months on by overcoming fierce opposition from rivals PINT and the Darwin Buffettes.

Reigning premier Waratah looked set for comfortable afternoon when they booted four goals to PINT’s single point in a barnstorming first quarter.

But the Queenants recovered their poise after that, booting four goals to one in the next three quarters to go down by eight points.

Tahs skipper Lisa Roberts said the flying start that got them to a 25-point lead at the first change was pulled back by a desperate opposition.

“Their fitness and hunger for the football started to work for them and we had to hang on in the end,’’ Roberts said.

“But we’re in another grand final and now we’ve got to get our bodies and hearts right for one big last week of footy.’’

PINT’s joint playing coach Katie Streader said nerves had played a big part in her side’s sloppy start.

“We fumbled way too much and lost our way for a while, but to the girls’ credit we came back hard and were pretty disappointed to finish eight points away from a grand final.

“Abby (Glasser) was great for us down back and Jackie Downey was up forward worked hard against a very good Tahs defence.’’

Southern Districts were also made to fight in their six-point win over the Darwin Buffettes.

The Crocodiles led by 10 points at the last change but had their supporters on the edge of their seats when the Buffettes began to stampede in the last quarter.

“We had to earn that one,’’ Districts coach Tarmon Elliott said. “Now we’ve got a second shot at Waratah in the big one and the chance for redemption from a year ago.

“It was anyone’s game in the end and it’s a huge credit to the girls they were able to hang on in the final seconds.

“Playing in another grand final after the disappointment of last year was something we’ve striven for all year.’’

Elliott reserved special praise for midfielder Bella Clarke, Maria Moussa down back and Grace Mulvahill around the ground.