Maitland wait until last minute to make keeper call: NPLW finals

Premiers Broadmeadow host second-placed Newcastle Olympic at Magic Park on Friday (8.15pm) in the qualifying semi-final with the winner advancing directly to the September 10 championship decider.

On Saturday (4.45pm), third-placed Maitland are at home to fourth-placed Charlestown Azzurri in the do-or-die semi-final.

Maitland coach Keelan Hamilton said he would give championship-winning goalkeeper Imogene Tomasone until Friday night to prove her fitness for the Magpies' first ever NPLW finals appearance.

Tomasone, who was part of New Lambton's 2019 grand final-winning side under Hamilton, has not played or trained since sustaining a back injury at work three weeks ago.

"It's just a day-by-day prospect," Hamilton said.

"It's probably very unlikely but with backs you just don't know. She might wake up one day and feel OK.

"She's obviously an important part of what we've done but she'll need to train. We'll train Friday and she'll need to train Friday night and prove her fitness before we select her.

"We'll give her that opportunity, but she was still on crutches on Saturday."

In other injury news, defender Tahlia Gossner overcame a string of setbacks to get through Maitland's final-round 3-1 win over Adamstown at Speers Point last Saturday while Mercedes McNabb did not play as she manages a hamstring issue.

Speaking of injuries, former Australian junior representative Lucy Kell shrugged off a shoulder complaint to produce a long-range wonder goal in the 85^th minute to seal Maitland's win.

The 22-year-old, who joined Maitland from Broadmeadow this campaign, was treated on the field after landing awkwardly on her right shoulder in the 71^st minute following contact with Adamstown's Leia Puxty.

She was briefly forced from the field but returned in the 77^th minute and was unmarked in space, at least 30 metres out from goal when teammate Chelsea Greguric played her the ball.

Kell took a touch then sweetly struck the ball into the top right corner of Adamstown's goal.

"It was a very good goal, a really good strike, and she's capable of that sort of thing, so we're really happy for her," Hamilton said.

For Kell, who was still holding her shoulder when swamped by jubilant teammates, the goal was opportunistic.

"[Olivia Sneddon] is an amazing keeper but plays off her line quite a lot, plays quite a high game, and I just saw the opportunity," Kell said.

"I had a bunged up shoulder and didn't feel like running and looked up and saw the opportunity so I just gave it a bit of a crack.

"When I hit it, it felt good."

With the NPLW premiership already sealed heading into the competition's final round last weekend, Broadmeadow coach Jake Curley took the opportunity to rest several players who were at risk of a suspension due to yellow card accumulation or carrying niggles.

But Magic should be at full-strength when they attempt to overcome their demons and book an elusive grand final appearance on Friday night. The club has been a top-two side since returning to Northern NSW Football's top-flight women's league in 2020 but are yet to win a finals match. Finals were not played in 2021 due to COVID.

Meanwhile, Olympic will be without leading scorer Jemma House for the semi-final.

House is headed to the United States this week to be inducted into the Laramie County Community College 2023 Hall of Fame Class.

The 26-year-old was an All-American in two seasons - 2015 and 2016 - with the Golden Eagles.

RELATED: