A season of dominance has brought Nightcliff to the brink of history, with the Tigers now one win away from an unbeaten premiership.
The Tigers have been the benchmark all year, sweeping aside every challenge to this point and putting themselves in position to complete a perfect season.
Given how close they came 12 months ago – falling just a solitary point short of the flag – there has been no shortage of motivation driving this group.
All season, Nightcliff has played with the look of a side determined to make amends and finish the job.
A number of players have been central to that charge.
Gabrielle Deller has been outstanding, while Kierra Zerafa has proven one of the signings of the season after crossing from Waratah.
Up forward, Cassie McWilliam has provided a reliable target all year and was rewarded at last Sunday’s Nichols Medal count by claiming the WPL’s leading goalkicker award.
On form, Nightcliff deserves clear favouritism, but simply dismissing PINT would be dangerous.
The Queenants have the talent to make this a genuine contest, particularly with the legendary Jasmyn Hewett in such outstanding form.
Fresh off winning her fourth WPL Medal, Hewett showed again in last weekend’s preliminary final win over St Marys why she remains one of the competition’s most influential players, finishing with 25 disposals and 25 hit-outs in a dominant display.
She is the type of footballer capable of dragging her side over the line.
Reni Hicks was also hugely important in that victory last week, combining 14 disposals with a fierce defensive effort that yielded 10 tackles.
If PINT is to cause the upset, it will need to produce that same intensity and pressure around the contest again.
The two sides have met twice this season, with Nightcliff winning both encounters.
The first came just before Christmas, when the Tigers were far too strong, cruising to a 39-point victory and dominating the game with 18 scoring shots to four.
Their most recent meeting, however, was far tighter.
In wet conditions during the final round of the minor season, Nightcliff prevailed by just eight points – the narrowest margin any side has managed against the Tigers all year.
That result should give PINT some belief.
There is no question the Queenants will enter the decider as underdogs, but that tag is unlikely to bother them.
They have match-winners, they have momentum, and they have already shown they can push the Tigers harder than anyone else has this season.
Still, Nightcliff has been the standout side from start to finish and now sits on the verge of turning dominance into a premiership.
After the heartbreak of last year, the Tigers have given themselves the perfect chance to go one better.
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