ANA 2023: Kangas let four-goal lead slip as reigning premiers Royals Saints rally to win epic A1 prelim final

A determined Royals Saints 1 fought back from a four-goal deficit to emerge winners of a pulsating Albany Netball Association A1 preliminary final on Saturday afternoon. Kangas 1 finished fourth on the ladder and disposed of 2022 grand finalists Narrikup 1 on their way to a finals showdown with defending premiers Royals Saints. Despite a strong third-quarter challenge from Kangas, it was Royals Saints who held firm to win 48-45 and advance to the A1 grand final this week. Royals Saints led by a single goal at quarter time but young star Jazelle Foggin fired Kangas into the game in the second stanza. Foggin was near-perfect in the attacking circle, netting nine of 10 attempts as Kangas took a one-goal advantage into half-time. Rebecca Benson and Foggin continued the Kangas’ momentum early in the third, with strong feeds from Hayley Hulm and Alyssa Perry pushing the margin out to four goals. Both sides used rolling substitutions throughout the game but Royals Saints found another gear as the game began to slip away. Jemma Quintrell was brought on at centre and Royals Saints turned the tide as Summer Stirling and Charlotte Edwards recovered from a shaky start. Both missed three of the first five attempts in the third but Stirling finished with eight goals from 11 shots and Edwards chipped in with five from nine to help their side wrest back control. Royals Saints scored five successive goals to pinch the lead and they went on to open up a three-goal buffer by the final break. The first two goals of the final term went to Royals Saints as the game threatened to blow out, but resilient defender Narelle Humphries, playing against her former side, and Hulm fought desperately to keep Kangas in the hunt. Royals Saints prevailed, however, as Edwards and Stirling combined for 12 goals to ensure their side got a chance at back-to-back premierships. Nardia Humphries was brilliant in the second half, especially in the final term as her drive at wing attack proved decisive. Nardia Humphries and the combination of Quintrell and Sophie Loveridge helped Royals Saints progress as forwards Stirling and Edwards finished off their strong work up the court. Stirling was at 62 per cent for a game-high 26 goals, while Edwards was more than reliable with 22 goals at 71 per cent, including a perfect seven from seven in the second term. Kangas ‘season came to an end but they produced a spirited preliminary final display, led by Hulm, Foggin and Narelle Humphries. Foggin went at 72 per cent for her 23 goals, Hulm was a constant in mid-court, and Narelle Humphries intercepted plenty of play. Benson (22 goals) was terrific in the first three quarters but was wayward in the final stanza, netting eight of 15 attempts as her side tried to reel in the three-quarter-time deficit. Royals Saints progress to face rivals Bullets 1 in the A1 decider this Saturday.