Tallangatta's Liona Edwards expects tight clash with Kiewa-Sandy Creek

The highly regarded goal shooter was part of three Ovens and Murray League netball flags with Wodonga in 2002, 2004 and 2015 and went on to become a back-to-back premiership player with Tallangatta in 2017 and 2018.

With the Hoppers now just one win away from potentially joining Mitta United in the grand final, the stalwart of the game and former coach admits the excitement never fades.

"I'm in my late 40s and I still get nervous, I just love finals time," she said.

"Coming together and talking so much about the game and the match-ups, it's really quite exciting.

"There's always someone on the journey that it's new for or it might be someone's first time.

"It's exciting for the club and the town."

Edwards was part of the Ovens and Murray netball competition's inaugural year as a Raider, later joining Lavington before spending 15 seasons with the Bulldogs.

After originally only planning to partake in preseason, Edwards was later convinced to join the Hoppers on court as an option in goals.

"Coming out of Covid, like everyone, I felt like I'd been a bit lazy and hadn't done anything," she said.

"They asked me to come to preseason training and I said just to use me if you really need to.

"By round two they needed me. I played against Kiewa and have ended up playing seven or eight games."

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A love of the game, as well as a close bond with her teammates, played a big part in luring her on court.

"It's the love of the people that I play with, the camaraderie, and fitness is always a really big thing for me," she said.

"I find if I'm committed to something then I give it everything.

"It's such a wonderful club and bunch of girls.

"Some of them I've known for years, like Anna (Avery) and Erika (O'Connell), and Hannah (Dwyer) I knew as a junior at Wodonga.

"I love sport, competing and being a part of a team, I get a lot out of it."

The Hoppers are preparing to take on minor premiers Kiewa-Sandy Creek in a highly anticipated preliminary final clash at Sandy Creek on Saturday.

Both teams enter having beaten the other this season, with the ultimate decider now up for grabs.

"It's definitely going to be a big match-up," Edwards said.

"They've been the team over the last four or five years that we've competed really tightly with.

"It's definitely going to come down to who plays best on the day."

Mitta United will be hoping to claim its second A-grade premiership in the club's history after winning the 2011 flag.

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