Darwin Netball Premier League showdown: Falcons vs Tigers

THE Darwin Netball Premier League grand final Friday night will see Nightcliff Tigers attempt to go one better than last year, this time against Tracy Village Falcons

Katie Elmer from Tigers and Lauren O'Shea from Falcons will lead their sides into Friday's grand final. Picture: Luke Hayes

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THE Darwin Netball Premier League grand final on Friday night will see Nightcliff Tigers attempt to go one better than last year, this time against Tracy Village Falcons.

In what has been a season of chaotic results, with last year’s premiers Hoggies losing out in the first round of finals — and minor premiers Pints also defeated in the preliminary round — the steady consistency of Tigers and Falcons has seen them make the grand final.

It is set to be a fierce match at CDU Stadium on Friday night as both teams have been excruciatingly close amid their to-and-fro this season.

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Falcons lost by three-goals in their first Round 1 encounter with Tigers, however they won by a three-goal margin in their final season clash in Round 16.

Round 11 saw a 50-50 tie between the teams, the only anomaly in this season of symmetry being a Falcons victory by 59-47 in Round 6.

Falcons skipper Lauren O’Shea was under no illusion of the magnitude of the challenge at hand. She said it would be a closely fought clash.

“The competition has been tough across the board, it has evened out a lot between the teams over the years,” she told the NT News.

“Tigers have got a solid team and they’ve been really competitive all season. Coming from third spot into the grand final, they’ll be after it. They have the league best and fairest player there too in Katie (Elmer), she’s a tough opponent.”

“I think it’ll come down to who brings it the most.”

O’Shea said Tigers skipper Elmer was one of the key elements to their success.

“Katie in defence, her presence is huge, she’s strong and tall. I think our shooter Gemma Henderson will be able to counteract that though, with her speed. It’ll be a tough slog.”

Nightcliff captain Elmer is treading familiar ground, as Tigers went to the grand final last year to lose out to Hoggies.

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She said her team were determined to take home the premiership this time around.

“It’ll be nice and close I think, I’m looking forward to getting out on court and smashing it,” she said.

“Falcons have got such a dogged defence, if they’re on box they’re 100 per cent and don’t make many errors.”

“If they do make an error, we need to be totally onto that and always make sure we have multiple pass options.”