The clash between West Gambier and North Gambier is another finals shaping clash in the last minor round of Western Border netball action.
The equation is simple – if the Tigers win, they play finals in 2022 but if they suffer defeat, they will need to wait on the scoresheet from Blue Lake Sports Park and hope Millicent secures victory.
North’s best has been more than good enough, as the round 14 draw with Millicent showed but it will take at least that level of performance to knock off the Roo’s.
Sarah Ritter and Lisa McGregor are one of the best shooting combinations in the competition, while at the other end, Jade Ritter and Amy Cram are coming off a typically miserly defensive performance where they held South to only 11 goals in a half.
North also has a strong shooting combination with Caroline Wakefield and Macey Griffith, while the mid court of Ash Kalantarian, Brianna Walters and Libby Morgan have the pace and smarts to mor than match it with the young Roos. and while they have had limited time as a defensive combination, Mel Renko and Zahra Crough have proven to be a tough duo against which to score.
SOUTH GAMBIER V MILLICENT
It is hard to see it happening, but South Gambier’s season remains alive if it can defeat Millicent.
Last time the two met a poor start brought the Demons undone and in the end the margin was a respectable 12 goals.
South also needs West to defeat North for the finals dream to become a reality and it will come down to the start.
Two of the club’s worst defeats – their most recent clash with East Gambier and last weekend against the Roo’s – have come after lacklustre opening quarters and the young Demons will need to be switched on and ready to compete from the opening whistle.
Lara Munro and Alyssa Duncan are well matched to Saints defenders Portia McRae and Hannah Nitschke and if they show patience and wait for the space to open up.
Millicent starts favourite but spectators at Blue Lake Sports Park will be hoping the home side brings four quarters of heat and leaves no stone unturned in the hunt for a return to the top four.
CASTERTON SANDFORD V EAST GAMBIER
This is the one match of the round that will not impact on the final standings but instead looms as a chance for the new look young Cats to test themselves once more this season – this time against the reigning premiers – while for East, it is a chance to iron out the wrinkles ahead of the 2022 finals series.
The Bulldogs’ starting seven has had very few outings together so any chance to finetune and build chemistry is critical.
The shooting combination of Sarah Lock and Amryn Bosko is starting to gel, and the test of the tight checking young Cats defenders of Ebany Jarrad and Charlotte Rice will be good preparation for the rough and tumble of finals.
At the other end, Morgan Amy and Bo Creek will be looking to strangle opportunities for the emerging shooting combination of Madalene Cleary and Ivy Lane while the unwelcome news for the young Cats is the Bulldogs’ midcourt trio have started to hit their straps as finals approach.
It looms as a tough day out for the final time this season for the Cats.
