Lining up against Mansfield at Tatura Park on Saturday in a fourth versus fifth clash, and having lost their last bout with the Eagles in round 14 of the regular season, the Lions got their revenge in the best possible way, leading from first centre pass to final whistle to send the Eagles packing.
It was about as comfortable a finals win as one could expect, with Seymour taking the lead in the opening minutes, and not relinquishing it once en route to a 49-39 victory that extends its season for at least another week.
From the first whistle on Saturday the Lions were calling the shots, earning the first break in the game to open up a 3-0 lead immediately, and though Mansfield managed to level the scores at 5-5, it would as close as the Eagles got for the rest of the contest.
Seymour eased out to a three-goal buffer again as soon as Mansfield levelled the score, maintaining that advantage heading into the break ahead 13-10, and soon set about extending it in the second term.
The Eagles showed fight after emerging from the quarter-time huddle, getting back to a goal behind; however, a run of four-straight Seymour goals pushed the margin out to a game-high five goals the way of the Lions.
A see-sawing period in the contest saw each side put together runs of four, first cutting into, then reinstating, that five-goal advantage of the Lions, before Seymour went six ahead, and eventually settled at five, heading into the main break up 26-21.
Halfway into the third term and the game looked all but over as the Lions began to really impose themselves on the contest, scoring six of the first seven goals to start the second half and racing to a game-high 10-goal lead, with the scoreboard reading 32-22.
They were unable to fully shake Mansfield, though, as the Eagles found a response yet again, scoring five straight in their best run of the game to close within four at the final change, trailing 31-35, and keeping the pressure on Seymour.
If the Lions felt any strain, it didn’t show, as they emphatically shut down the Eagles challenge with an impressive display of strength to start the final term.
Seven of the first eight goals in the final term were scored by the Lions, as once again the lead touched 10, putting paid to any hopes Mansfield had of an upset victory.
Seymour maintained the 10-goal buffer for the rest of the contest, claiming a brilliant first-up victory in which it had answers for every question the Eagles posed, registering an assertive first-up finals win to continue on.
Shooters Ruby Martin and Ally Black, the latter of whom has just been signed by Victorian Netball League club Bendigo Strikers for the 2027 season, worked superbly in the circle, capitalising on the work from midcourt stars Elle Nexhip, Olivia Pearce and Lucy Zotti, while Toni Bootland again proved rock solid in defence.
The Lions progress to a first semi-final this Saturday against Mooroopna after the Cats went down to Euroa in the qualifying final, and will have a home court advantage as they attempt to advance to the preliminary final, with Saturday’s contest set to take place at Kings Park at 2.15pm.
