Cavaliers and Northern Hawks brace for finals push

After a hard-fought cross-town battle the week prior which saw the Hawks edge out the Cavs 56-53, the sides have locked up the first and second seeds and will face one another in a week's time.

Cavs vice-captain Estelle Margetts said the team was happy overall with its efforts in spite of the loss.

"We really focussed on everyone playing to their roles, everyone came on the court and did what they had to do," she said.

"We are taking the positives away from that, not just the fact we lost."

Margetts added that former Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander gave the Cavs some pointers after the loss.

The loser of the first finals match between the Hawks and Cavs will face the winner of a semi-final bout between the third and fourth seeds.

Margetts said her side will look to first consolidate its play this weekend before looking at a second Hawks match in three weeks.

"It's really great to finish first or second so we get that double chance," she said.

"At the end of the day, if we win or lose, we'll still get another chance to get into the final.

"Sometimes, it's good to play that extra game before finals to keep working on your form ... but at the end of the day the last game of the season is the one that counts."

The Hawks, on the other hand, are staring down the barrel of going entirely undefeated for the second year in a row, having not lost a game since August 2019.

Nineteen-and-under player Matilda Allen said the opens looked very strong heading into their last games of the season, having just beaten their main threat a week prior.

"I think it's the fact they're coming together as a team, they've been playing together for a very long time but it's also having the continuity of having the newer players in the team flow through too," she said.

Do you know someone who is contributing to Northern Tasmanian sport, whether through participating or assisting?

The Examiner's Junior Sports Awards, sponsored by Woolworths, provide acknowledgement of accomplishments by players, coaches, volunteers, teams and clubs across the region.

Nominations are open from Wednesday, April 14, and will close at midnight on October 4.

Entries must include a photograph of the entrant.