Nathalia produced an almighty upset on Saturday afternoon to defeat Finley at Lonsdale Recreation Reserve at Mulwala.
The Cats finished the home and away season in third place with a record of 14-4, one win behind second-placed Moama.
Despite Finley’s position as the firm favourite, Nathalia got off to a strong start, ending the first quarter with a six-goal lead (6-12).
Purples co-coach Tracey Brereton said her side’s performance had exceeded expectations.
“It’s a massive win,” Brereton said.
“It’s always a massive game when it is an elimination final, but it makes it even sweeter when you knock off someone who finishes higher on the ladder than you.
“Considering we have had two major ACLs throughout the year to two key players.
“To think, number one, that we could make finals, but number two, win our first has really overexceeded everything this year for this group.”
The Cats fought back in the second quarter, but the Purples held their nerve and maintained a five-goal buffer (17-22) at half-time.
Brereton said her players — knowing they were underdogs — were able to play a care-free style of netball.
“When you are sixth playing third, you don’t have any pressure on you; there is no expectation for you to win on the outside anyway,” she said.
“On the inside, we thought we could.
“We played relaxed netball yesterday.”
Nathalia held on to the lead in the third term, but Finley kept clawing back momentum one play at a time.
The Purples led by four goals with one quarter remaining, 26-30.
The two sides coincidentally last played each other the week before in round 18.
Brereton said that the Purples’ 13-goal loss in that clash helped provide insight into how to defeat the Cats.
“When we played them in that round 18 match, I thought we had seen all their tools,” she said.
“All the tools that they had and they are very good tools, they are a very good team, but I thought that may have been the best they have got.
“I went back to the drawing board during the week and we thought really hard on a good game plan that might be able to overcome their great assets.
“We put that to work and the girls believed in that game plan.”
Nathalia’s planning proved successful.
The Purples outlasted the Cats in the final term, winning the match 34-39.
Brereton said Nathalia’s victory was a well-rounded team performance.
“Everyone played their role and had some match time, which was exciting,” she said.
“Bec Bohn in goals was pretty strong for us yesterday.
“Tegan Sutton was pretty good.
“Liv Tilyard and Kara Blizzard they were probably my standouts, but everyone played important roles.”
Nathalia will start preparing for this weekend’s semi-final clash against Tongala.
The Blues defeated Deniliquin 50-49 on Sunday afternoon in a nail-biter.
Tongala trailed 37-39 at the end of the third quarter, but came storming home to claim the one-goal win.
Brereton said her side would have to be at its best on Sunday if it was to defeat the reigning premier.
“We haven’t beaten Tonny at all this year,” she said.
“But, who knows?
“Finals are just different, aren’t they?”
This weekend, Rumbalara will play Moama in the qualifying final at Mercury Drive Shepparton on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Nathalia will play Tongala in the semi-final at Finley Recreation Reserve on Sunday.
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