North Gambier v Casterton Sandford
Last time North Gambier and Casterton Sandford met it took the full four quarters for the second ranked Tigers to shake off the determined Cats.
Since then the Cats have secured two drought breaking victories and they will be looking to try and replicate that round 3 performance, if not improve on it.
Much will revolve around the ability of Casterton Sandford to slow the ball movement of the Tigers courtesy of the classy mid court that includes Mel Renko, Brianna Walters and Kaitlin Egan.
In full flight, the Tigers use the length of the court to perfection and are slick in delivering the ball to accurate finishers Macey Griffith, who is coming off a stunning three day performance at the 2024 SA Country Championships, and Kelly Lockwood, who has fitted seamlessly into the Tigers frontline.
The Cats’ defensive combination of Caeleigh Humphries and Chloe Finnigan is tight checking and tough but they will need their mid court to delay the ball and pressure the feeds if they are to create turnover ball.
At the other end, the Cats frontline will need to show great patience with a star studded young defensive line of Lauran Norman and Stella Mobbs, another player coming off an impressive SA Country Championships, where she along with Griffith was part of the 17 & Under championship winning line up.
Mobbs and Norman are athletic and as strong on the ground as they are in the air and they will certainly dominate the rebounding contests if Holly Smith and Chelsea Hulm are not accurate on the finish.
Smith has been a great focal point in the shooting circle for the Cats, while Hulm has had a great last month and showed great poise under pressure in the Cats’ victories.
Despite the improvement from Casterton Sandford, though, it is hard not to see the Tigers bouncing back from the bye with a victory.
South Gambier v West Gambier
It has been a tough 2024 for the Demons and it does not get any easier this weekend when they host top of the table West Gambier.
The Roos have no weaknesses and a settled line up that continues to get the job done, while the Demons till cannot quite find their mojo and chemistry, with 2023 on court leader Alyssa Duncan being sorely missed in the frontline.
West’s shooting combination of Sarah Ritter and Lisa McGregor is the most prolific in the competition and Mykaela Thiele and Ellie Bouchier, who has been a standout for South Gambier, will need to be tight checking and also rely on their mid court not allowing the Roos to stream down court unchallenged.
Tully McShane, Megan Reid, Sophie Wight and Teresa Humphris will need to be unrelenting in defensive mode to try and stop the run from Tara Bryant, Jess Holmes and Chelsea Tremelling, who are not only speedy but so safe with ball in hand.
That same mid court will also need to be patient with ball in hand as it looks for a way through a Roos defensive line that is led so brilliantly by Amy Cram.
Ash Widdison and Gracie Dalton, who was part of the Limestone Coast Football Netball League’s championship winning 17 & under team at the weekend’s SA Country Championships, will need to be strong, look to use movement to unsettle Cram and Mykaela Horrigan, and most of all accurate.
There is just no way to mount a case for the Demons and the Roos will continue their winning ways.
East Gambier v Millicent
East Gambier will welcome back Bo Creek this weekend when they host Millicent but not even the return of the superstar defender will lift the Bulldogs to victory.
The bad news for the home side is the Saints are welcoming back star goaler Demi Verbena and while she has not touched a netball in weeks, even a rusty Verbena will add class and scoring power to the Millicent frontline.
The challenge for Millicent now is to decide how that frontline will look having used Nikeisha Facey and Edie Easterby, who starred for the 17 & under Limestone Coast Football Netball League that brought home the SA Country Championship title as a defender, in the shooting circle.
The good news for the Saints is both Facey and Easterby are so damaging in other roles as well so can have an impact in defence, or in Easterby’s case, the mid court as well.
Portia McRae and Lauren Van Eeden have developed a strong chemistry in the defensive circle and they will need to be at their best to deny the scoring from East’s Malinda Foster and Renee Henke – both who embrace the long shot and have been accurate for the majority of the 2024 season.
At the other end, Sharna McKinnon, Creek and Morgan Amy will be tested by the creative delivery from Lillie Paul and Daisy Tunkin, with Lisa Duldig leading the Saints’ mid court whether on the defensive wing or in the middle.
Millicent looks just too experienced to let this one slip.
