OSBORNE goal shooter Caren Hugo has highlighted matching the physicality of Wagga Tigers' defensive duo Rhiannon Podmore and Abbey Morton as vital in Saturday's preliminary final.
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Hugo, who has won the past three Farrer League flags with The Rock-Yerong Creek, has been a vital recruit for Osborne in their AFL Riverina Championship cameo.
The Ostriches qualified for the preliminary final with a comfortable win over Ganmain last week.
Osborne and Tigers clash for a grand final spot in four of five grades on Saturday, with the Ostriches looking to improve further on a four-goal loss to their rivals in the last round.
Morton and Podmore were aggressive and made gun Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes goal-attack Sophie Fawns work for everything in a one-goal thriller last week.
Sydney Swifts Academy member Fawns was regularly forced to take long range shots, with the Tigers pair also forcing a number of turnovers.
"I just have to remember I'm just as strong and to not let them push me around," Hugo said.
"I'll just stay focused on where I want to get the ball, not where they want me to be.
I just have to remember I'm just as strong and to not let them push me around.
- Caren Hugo
"We need to be prepared to match that physicality in the air. The last couple of times they've come at us and we've matched it later, we need to wear that at the start and do it all game."
Hugo said the combination and understanding with her new teammates is improving with every game.
"There were some things we wanted to work on for next week in that second half (against GGGM)," Hugo said.
"I thought the girls' feeds were really good and it's something we've been focusing on for six weeks.
"The more we get to understand each other the better the passes are and the more trust we have."
Hugo usually juggles netball with playing basketball with Wagga Blaze.
But The Rock-Yerong Creek's withdrawal and the cancellation of the Waratah League competition meant the offer to play at nearby Osborne was too difficult to resist.
"At this stage it's a use it or lose it situation and I was worried about having another year off," she said.
The Tigers won three straight Riverina League flags before falling to Collingullie-Glenfield Park in last year's preliminary final.
Saturday's first grade clash gets underway at 1:30pm.
Osborne and the Tigers also clash in preliminary finals in A-reserve (12.15pm), C grade (10am) and under-17s (9am), while Turvey Park do battle with Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes in B grade (11am).
