Koroit and South Warrnambool draw in finals-like Hampden league netball game

Top-placed South Warrnambool - without goal attack Annie Blackburn who was a late omission with illness - tied with reigning premier Koroit at Victoria Park.

The Saints, who led for the first two-and-a-half quarters, have now recorded three draws from 13 matches.

Koroit coach Kate Dobson said you could look at the draws, which provide two invaluable premiership points each time, in different ways.

"We were very positive we could play well and of course you're happy to draw with South because they have led the competition all year," she said.

"But you can look at it the other way - one more goal and we would've had three more victories this year.

"It is such a fine line. But all the good games are separated by the most minimal things."

Crafty goal attack Rachel Dobson had a tight calf and was replaced on court in the final term by Mia Mills, 16, who came on in wing attack.

"What a great effort - she's just turned 16, and to come on in a pressure game like that and have no worries at all is great," she said. "We had 100 per cent confidence in Mia."

Dobson, who was without midcourter Layla Monk who had battled illness during the week, praised goal keeper Kasey Barling for her best-on-court performance in her 100^th game for the club.

"It was her first game back in five weeks since she broke her finger," she said.

"She got a lot of intercepts. Hollie Phillips is probably the best shooter in the competition and I thought Kasey and Molly (McKinnon) did a really good job on the South goalies."

South Warrnambool coach Will Jamison said it was "great preparation for a final".

"It was a fantastic display of netball. I thought all four quarters were really well contested and Koroit came out with a point to prove and were up from the start," he said.

"What was pleasing was we found a way to get in front in the fourth quarter but what was disappointing was we couldn't hold on to that lead.

"You have to be able to play a full 60 minutes and we let ourselves down for too much of the day so it's a good lesson for us that we need to be on from the get-go."

The draw was just the Roosters' second blemish of the season.

"I think being two games clear (on top) it's not too big a deal for us," Jamison said.

"We'll just look at why we didn't win and how we can improve next week."

Olivia Marris was flicked into goal attack in Blackburn's absence. Jamison said it was pleasing to have options in the goal circle.

"Annie was out of the team half-an-hour before the game with illness so Liv really had to put on the goal attack bib with little preparation," he said.

"I thought she did a really good job, she presented well up the court and then found Hollie under the post."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: