in Competitions

DOOLEYS Metro League Semi-Finals Results

25 SEP 2020

Netball Central was well and truly buzzing this week as teams competed for their spot in the Grand Final for Dooleys Metro League.

The fight and energy each team displayed this week was overwhelming and a credit to the coaches who have created great resilience within their athletes.

The week kicked off Monday night with Liverpool City battling Ku-ring-gai on Show Court in Division 3. The game started off shaky with both teams releasing nerves through loose balls and inaccurate passes, however players soon fired up to deliver a cracking Semi-Final. Liverpool City had a lot to prove with Ku-ring-gai taking them out in Round 9 and things were looking that way again up until half time. Liverpool turned the game upside-down and left Ku-ring-gai at a stand still as they took out the major Semi-Final 44-32. Hawkesbury City also had a tough battle on Court 1 up against Hills District, however were able to keep their nose in front consistently throughout the game and secure the win 49-34. Liverpool City and Hawkesbury will face each other in the Division 3 Grand Final next week!

Energy was running high yet again in Division 4 with a tough battle in the major Semi-Final when Northern Suburbs came up against Illawarra District. Illawarra fought hard and kept their opponents on their toes, however Northern Suburbs' defensive line seemed to dominate the game as they were able to make some crucial turnovers and secure the win 51-39. Eastwood Ryde and Baulkham Hills Shire saw a tough battle in the first half. However, Eastwood Ryde were able to further their lead in the third quarter with their hunger for the Grand Final growing even more after every centre pass and consolidated the win 46-33. It will be a close one next week and we wish Northern Suburbs and Eastwood Ryde all the best in the Grand Final!

Division 5 and 6 saw some of the most intense contests all season take place in the Semi-Finals on Tuesday. Top of the ladder Camden & District took on Sutherland Shire who came out firing. From the first whistle, Sutherland had their eye on the prize and were focused to ensure they claimed their spot in the Grand Final. Camden tried all they could to overpower Sutherland and held on all the way until the very end, with their fighting spirit being one of the greatest we have seen in the competition this year. In the end, it was Sutherland who claimed the first spot in the Grand Final, with a nail-biting final score of 46-44. Inner Western Suburbs were quick off the blocks in the minor Semi-Final against Campbelltown & District. Both teams knew they were in for a tight battle, having had a draw in Round 5. Campbelltown tried all they could to outplay their opposition, however defensive skills were stronger amongst the Inner West side and they claimed the second spot in the Grand Final 51-36.

We had our first draw take place in Division 6, in the minor Semi-Final battle between Ku-ring-gai and Northern Suburbs. Both teams meticulously fought for every single goal and it came down to the wire. Northern Suburbs managed to spark their inner flame in extra time, however and took out the win 60-51. Top of the ladder Manly Warringah had a rollercoaster of a match against Hills District. The winner was never assured throughout the match, however Manly was able to pull away in the end, proving their dominance in the division 44-37. Manly will take on Northern Suburbs next Tuesday night in the Division 6 Grand Final.

On Thursday night, in the ultimate thriller of a match, Manly Warringah took on Eastwood Ryde in Division 1. It was an intense battle from start to finish but Manly managed to just scrape in a final goal and claim the win 54-53, proving to be the top in their division leading in to the final. It is set to be quite the battle in the Grand Final as they will come up against the only team who claimed victory against them all season, Northern Suburbs. Norths were able to kick it up a gear in the second quarter against Hills District in the Semi-Final and maintained the winning edge throughout the match with a final score of 58-52.

All eyes were on Campbelltown & District in Division 2, as they secured one of the best come backs we have seen throughout the entire competition. It was looking like it was Parramatta’s game to take as they doubled Campbelltown’s score within the first quarter. However, Campbelltown were able to turn everything around and absolutely threw their all in to the match to claim their spot in the Grand Final. It will be one of their toughest matches to date as they will take on undefeated Penrith District in the ultimate Grand Final match up. Penrith have shown they are the strongest team in Division 2 this year, securing wins left, right and centre, week after week and taking down Randwick 60-39 in the Semi-Finals.

We are so excited to see some of the best Grand Finals in Metro League history taking place next week and you can’t miss the action!

Who will take victory in their division and be crowned the 2020 DOOLEYS Metro League Champions? Find out by purchasing your tickets for the Grand Finals & third place play-offs here.