2013 ANZ Championship – Preliminary Final
The Adelaide Thunderbirds have secured a place in the Grand Final, while the defending premiers (the Waikato/ Bay of Plenty Magic) have been ousted for season 2013. The preliminary final will see the Melbourne Vixens host the Queensland Firebirds, as all three teams left in the competition chase their second titles in the brief history of the ANZ Championship. With honours split at one apiece thus far, Ben Carbonaro assesses the third match between these teams for the year.
Results forRound Semi-Final tips
Semi-Finals: 1 unit bet, no winners
2013 total: 29 units bet, 16 winners, return of 29.94 units (3% PoT)
2012/ 2013 total: 59 units bet, 36 winners, return of 67.59 units (15% PoT)
Once again this year, for the purposes of this weekly column, we will only recommend a bet where Ben’s opinion differs from that of bookmakers by at least 3.5 goals.
Here are Ben’s thoughts on the 2013 ANZ Championship preliminary final:
Preliminary Final Tip (please note: time is the local time for the home side)
Sunday July 7, 12:15 PM Melbourne Vixens v Queensland Firebirds
Vixens: 9-5 (second on ladder, lost major semi-final), 5-2 home
Firebirds: 10-4 (fourth on ladder, won minor semi-final), 7-1 away
Bookmakers’ line: Vixens -1.5
Ben says: It's evenly matched between both the Vixens and Firebirds, with the two regular season matches between these two locked at one win each. Back in round nine, the Firebirds won by 11 goals before Vixens leveled it up with a six-goal win. Looking back at their week one finals matches, the Vixens went down to Adelaide after a last quarter fadeout, while Firebirds knocked out Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic to extinguish New Zealand's ANZ Championship premiership hopes. Firebirds shooters Romelda Aiken and Natalie Medhurst have been in strong form this week, so the Vixens defenders will have their work cut out but are up to the task. This should be one of the most closely contested finals matches in recent years. Vixens by 3
Recommended bet: Nil
Thanks to Phil Walter/Getty Images AsiaPac for use of the photo
Just three goals seperated these two sides during the two regular season games between Thunderbirds and Firebirds. The premiership favorites won both games on their way to sewing up the minor premiership before going straight into the decider with a 10 goal major semi final win over the Melbourne Vixens. Having to travel for both their minor semi and preliminary finals sets the Firebirds back, but this game will be a thriller. It shapes a a battle of which team's defensive end can shut down the long bomb feeding into the respective towering goal shooters in Carla Borrego and Romelda Aiken.Thunderbirds by 5
Line of Thunderbirds -2.5 at TAB Sportsbet, Centrebet and Luxbet. The gap is less than 3.5 goals, so no recommended bet.