With the recent weather event turning the Far North Coast Softball’s Semi-Finals and Finals into chaos, draws have been redone to give each division a fair run into tomorrow’s Grand Final.

Clubs are hoping with the sun now shining that the grounds will quickly recover, and the Grand Finals will be able to go ahead as scheduled. Tonight’s junior and mixed games had to be postponed to help keep the fields intact for tomorrow’s grand finals. 

The Division 1 Grand Final will see the impressive Casino 1 side take on Rous Hotel Rangers. Casino have undoubtedly been the top side in the competition finishing eleven points ahead of their nearest rival. The side boast young guns Lachlan Coe, Oliver Shields, and Julia Lucas and together with the talents and experience of Karen Evans, Michelle Lucas, and Nicole Bruce they are a formidable side.

Casino 1's Oliver Shields is a threat that Rous Hotel Rangers need to quell in tomorrow night's final. Photo: Lauren Forrester

Rous have only been beaten by Casino all season and now is the time to turn the table on a strong Casino side. However, like Casino their team is a mix of youth and experience with Lachlan O’Sullivan and Wesley Wilford gaining invaluable experience form teammates Samantha Dowse, Shannon Holgate, Samantha Green and Nadine Toniello.

If Rangers get an early jump on Casino, they will have a great chance of causing an upset. Toniello will need to direct the game play from homeplate while shortstop, Catherine McAnelly, Aurora O’Sullivan at secondbase and outfielders Green, O’Sullivan and Holly Carmen will no doubt play an important part in their team’s defence.

Casino will be without Lachlan Coe due to his State commitments, but their line-up is impressive with Michelle and Julia Lucas, Evans, Talarra Berry, Shields, Johanna Presgrave, Mikayla Coe, and Hannah Graham who are all competent players.

This game will be won or lost on the field. Both teams are aggressive with the bat and homeruns are a regular feature of their game play. The team who restricts their errors will be the team holding the trophy over their head at the end of the game.

The Division 1 game will be played under lights commencing at 7.15pm.

The Division 2 and 3 competitions will see them play a sudden death double header final with 1st place playing 4th place and 2nd and 3rd playing against each other, with the winner of both games advancing through to the Grand Final.

The top four teams in the Division 2 competition are Rous Hotel Warriors, Ballina Sharks, Dodgers Demons and Lismore Workers Wild Turkeys.

This division is the most evenly contested competition. Any team could end up taking out the Grand Final. The last weekend of play saw Warriors defeated Workers by 8 runs to 7, Workers defeating Dodgers by 8 runs to 6, while Dodgers had an easy win over Ballina by 13 runs to 1.

Warriors’ battery of Rebecca Denning pitching to Shameeka McPaul is a class act and can cause havoc against the opposition batters. With the experience of Sue Clark, Val Dowse and Jakira Toniello in the field and big hitters Alex Poole, Clark and Ashlen Mathie they will be hard to beat.

Rous Hotel Warriors' Jakira Toniello will be needed to play a big game tomorrow.

Workers Wild Turkeys were unlucky the last time the two sides met and will be hoping to overpower Warriors in the sudden death final. Lyn McDonald has been inform on the plate and trusts her catcher Luke Zimmermann to lead the team. Outfielders, Kasey Renwick, and Connor Cassin will be working hard - but are up to the challenge. Workers will be without Lauren Forrester, but Jacinta McDonald will be elevated into the side and has proven herself an asset to the side.

In the other game, Dodgers Demons will take on Ballina Sharks. Despite Dodgers convincing win the last time the two sides met; it is expected this game will be close. Pitchers Karina Connors (Dodgers) and Charlene Amber (Ballina) will both play a vital part in their teams’ ability to advance through to the Grand Final.

Ballina will be calling on Molly Donald, Sammy Martin, Amy Trindal, Liam McMahon and Amber to lead their sides attack, while Dodgers will need to match them in the field. Kayleen Shailes, Belinda Stratford, Jane Wiltshire and Sam Davis have been outstanding in the field and Ballina will need to hit over the infield to get their batters on base to score runs.

If Kelly Whitney, Cameron Reynolds, Sheree and Chris Rose, Connors and Shailes can meet the ball and drive it through Ballina’s field they could advance to the Grand Final Division 2 Grand Final will be played from 5.30pm

Goonellabah Gunnas will take on Rous Rogues in the sudden-death final of the Division 3 competition. Goonellabah have been the form team all season and should easily account for Rogues. Stalwarts Trish Claydon, Suellen Pursche, Sharon Foster, Lee Millward and Leanne Lovett still have what it takes to win games and with the support of Zac Poulton, Jamila Pursche, Haylee Bolt, Jody Foster, and Jo-Ann Grossman they will be hard to beat.

Sharon Foster has the experience to bring the trophy home to Goonellabah. Photo: Lauren Forrester

Rogues have improved throughout the season and are know for their big hits with Connor Cassin, Tracey Martin-Watt and Erin Wilson all hitting long into the outfield. But if they can limit their errors and are not overwhelmed on the day, could upset the Goonellabah side.

Byron Redsox and Woodburn Wonders will complete the double header of the Division 3 competition which will go down to the last pitch. Both teams have a strong line-up, and the game could go either way.

Byron’s ability to raise for these big games is legendary and with Terrie Curry leading her team together with the support of Shannon Knapp, Eloise Galea, Rhonda Cheesman, Nikki Graf, Annette Deal, Frankie Lee and young gun Tess McCann, Woodburn will need to be at their best.

Woodburn love to bat and this could be the difference between the two sides. Lucy Creighton, Kate Willock, Sarah Colbourne, Carmen Ainsworth, Carol Ryan, and Leone Creighton regularly clear the outfield. If they can restrict Byron’s attack, they may pull off a win.

The Division 3 Grand Final will be played at 3.30pm.

The Division 4 competition will be played out between Rous Hotel Rascals and Lismore Workers Mighty Ducks at 11.30am to 1pm.

Both sides contain several junior players who have developed their skills throughout the season. Rous’ line up of Hayden Grove, Alice Shields, Zahli Bateman, Georgia Sheridan, Edward Shields, Robb Connor, Charlie Martin, and Dominic Lawton is impressive. All players bat strongly, and their fielding skills have improved with each game.

Workers have a mixture of junior players with several senior women new to the sport. Juniors Kobi Forrester, Harry Clark, Jacinta McDonald, Ava Greensill and Rihanna Lawton have come along in leaps and bounds and with the support of Emily Findlay, Naomi McGowen, Tara Clark, and Leah Manning who will help to keep them in striking distance of Rascals. This should be a close game and a great game to watch.