Lions up for fight as tough run to finals looms

REDAN playing coach Ashlee Smith said her side will embrace a tough next three weeks on the road to another exciting BFNL finals series.

The Lions moved into fourth spot on the ladder with a hard-fought 36-22 win in wet and wild conditions at Sebastopol on Saturday.

Just where they end up at the conclusion of the home and away season will hinge on their results over the next three weeks in finals-like showdowns against Darley, North Ballarat and Lake Wendouree.

The Devils – the only team to have beaten top-of-the-ladder Sunbury this season – sit second on the ladder at 12-1-1 following an 11-goal triumph over Lake Wendouree.

North Ballarat, which beat Melton by 47 goals is third, while the Lakers will head into round 15 in fifth, after slipping one spot in the wake of their loss to Darley.

Smith insisted a clearer of picture of where their season was headed would emerge over the next three weeks, but for now, she was glad to see her side “hanging in there” to give themselves every chance of success come finals.

“We have a tough one coming up against Darley – last time we lost by one,” she said.

“I hope we are better side now – we are definitely more prepared.

 

“It’s probably a good way to go into finals, these games over the next three weeks, to see if we match up well.

“This could make or break us – hopefully make.”

The Lions were elimination finalists last year but made the preliminary final in both 2022 and 2023.

On their win against Sebastopol, Smith was pleased to bank another win after the wet and slippery conditions wreaked havoc on the skills of both teams.

 

“It’s all we could do in the end, be thankful for a win. The conditions were not kind,” she said.

“There were a lot of loose balls, a lot of steps, a lot of slips.

“We did well with what we could.

“I like that we got to trial a few things, but more than anything, we just had to persevere through the game.”

With the game beyond doubt at three-quarter time, when the Lions led 30-12, the Burra produced their best quarter for the day in the last, outscoring Redan 12-6 off the back of some accurate shooting from Keeley Clark.

 

For Redan, the midcourt trio of Kathryn Dwyer, Lilly Francis and Cassandra Peace all played key roles in the win, while Erin Riley produced another standout game at goal keeper.

Unbeaten since round three when they drew with Lake Wendouree, the Devils, who have since posted 11 straight wins, will pose plenty of challenges for the Lions, according to Smith.

“Their goal shooter Olivia Cawthray has been playing really well – probably one of her most stellar seasons thus far,” she said.

“If she’s on, she will be a tough one to shut down.

“But hopefully we can bring our best game.”

 

Cawthray contributed 29 goals in the Devils’ 48-37 win over the Lakers.

On a tough afternoon for goal shooters, Sunbury’s Rebecca Hicks (86 at 92.47 per cent) and North Ballarat’s Maddy Selmon (56 goals at 87.50 per cent) stood out in respective wins against Ballarat and Melton.

Round 14 recap:

Sunbury 87 defeated Ballarat 45; Sebastopol 22 lost to Redan 36; East Point 35 lost to Bacchus Marsh 38; Darley 48 defeated Lake Wendouree 37; North Ballarat 72 defeated Melton 25.

Round 15 (August 2):

Bacchus Marsh v Melton; East Point v Ballarat; Lake Wendouree v North Ballarat; Redan v Darley; Sebastopol v Sunbury.