RCAFC Netball Premier Grade Grand Final

RC Pythons vs RC Vipers

Thursday 29 October 2015 – 7.40pm

Ryan’s Reserve, Richmond 3121

It’s Monday night and the rain is coming down in Richmond, the greatest suburb in the world. The way it tends to in October as a higher power decides if it’s spring or summer. After a solid, yet not startling performance last week, the Malcolm Baron coached RC Pythons again, find themselves in the big dance. They find themselves on the brink of history, playing a in a fourth straight championship final. As a team, they are on the precipice of immortality as they aim to achieve a feat that not even Michael Jordan achieved with the Chicago Bulls back in the 90’s.

Standing in the way this Thursday is a fired up Vipers team, who will go into the match as favourites. Being the underdogs is something the Pythons will not be familiar with after having gone into the three previous finals as un back able favourites. This season has been the most competitive on record in the Richmond social netball scene with four very strong sides in the top four including the emergence of the Cobras with star defender Joey Jenson and renegade wild thing Tuba.

The 2015 spring season started off with Coach Baron throwing down the gauntlet to the Pythons to go through the season unbeaten, a goal that seemed possible but in hindsight was some of Barons, most brazen buffoonery. The Pythons were pumped by the Vipers in just game three of the season by 9-19. They went on to play the Vipers twice more in the lead up to the finals, drawing 17-17 back in August and losing 10-21 a mere two weeks ago.

Laura Hindson will start from the bench this Thursday after being disciplined by the playing group for her no show at Sundays Captain’s run. Jess Larritt, normally the Python best known for her late night antics was said to be unhappy with Hindson’s no show due to spending her Sunday morning in a relationship with the toilet bowl.

At last check, tickets were almost sold out with Aram and Eli both confirmed (Aram is flying in from North Queensland for the grand final). Elle’s Mum and dog will be there (it better be a bloody good looking dog the way she carries on about it), and Wrighty is also said to be attending but only he knows if he will be there for the full game this week. Will he find a way to be kicked out of the Ryan’s Reserve International Netball Stadium for the third time? Only time will tell. Fed Kaso, who has played 5 games this year for the Pythons and is an ex premiership Pythons player has made herself available for the Grand Final and we want to publicly thank her for her unwavering commitment to the Pythons. When the Pythons book comes out, you will get a chapter sister.

One of the big outs for this week, is Coach Baron himself, who has made himself unavailable due to work commitments.

Keys to the Game:

• Can Alanna and Larritt combine as they normally do as the hardest hitting backline in the league? Larritt is coming off a breakthrough season for the Pythons and is expected to play a full game alongside league B+F Alanna Dunne. If she gets her holds right, this will go a long way to the Pythons winning the game. If Alanna plays at her best, the Pythons win, it’s that simple, clearly one of Richmond Social netball’s brightest stars, probably unlucky not to get a Diamonds trial this year.
• Injury cloud hangs over Amanda Parker, having needed some advice on rolling her ITB from Maria during Sunday’s captains run. She’ll need to be at her best and play through the pain. My bet is on the Wangaratta born battler to lift big time. Big time players make big time plays. Parks has dropped 95 hoops this season needing 5 more in the Grand Final to go into that exclusive club of 100 goals in the season.
• Mid Court rotations: Elle Laura and Jen love playing country netball, all the bookies have them running a three player rotation through the wings and expect gutsy efforts from all three as they cover the court in pursuit of some of the Vipers fittest players. This mid-court battle could be where the game is won and lost. Jen comes off a particularly feisty one last week against one of the leagues roughest players and the umps will be on the lookout for her.
• Maria the North London steamer starts in Centre for the 15^th time this season (Only Alanna Dunne has played more games for the Pythons). She continues to be the Python’s first choice in the mid court. Turnovers off the centre pass and quick ball into the shooters could win or lose this one. Maria is one of those players that loves to play on the biggest stage. Expect her Fitbit to show her pushing 5km covered for the game.
• Amanda Langerak is the best shooter in the league, god knows where she learnt to shoot, growing up on the mean streets of East Auckland in a suburb more commonly referred to as CHOWick. Amanda was more likely to be playing Chess than netball, but finds herself as a critical piece in the Grand Final puzzle. Langerak is shooting at 73% for the season and has dropped 130 buckets, the only Python to shoot more than 100 goals on the season. Having recently purchased a house and dropped some dead weight let’s hope Langerak comes into this one free from worries and ready to drop 6 foot bombs.

I’ve had a great mentor through my life in my father. He taught me many things, including the art of the “I don’t know anything about the sport, but sure as fuck know how to motivate people” as well as other key sporting punchlines such as “no one remembers who finished second”.

What he taught me as well, is to find something you love and go hard at it. The RC Pythons of 2015 epitomise that, 8 girls, who love to play Netball, who love each other, and would do anything for each other. With that being said. Pythons by 5. Larritt for Best on Ground.

Champions win titles.

Legends hold onto them.

Let’s go.