North Gambier v Millicent
This week’s clash at Vansittart Park is another chapter in the battle for second spot and the double chance.
The first time North Gambier and Millicent faced off North got the better of the Saints.
The difference this weekend will be not only is North missing its first choice goal defender in Lauran Norman but Millicent has Demi Verbena back on court and last round she emphatically demonstrated her value not just to Millicent’s scoring power but the ball movement.
Verbena’s battle with Mel Renko looms as the clash of the day and will go a long way to deciding the final result.
At the other end of the court, Portia McRae and Edie Easterby are coming off a dominant performance against South and Lauren Van Eeden returns to that defensive mix and the young defensive line will need to be at their best with Macey Griffith in stellar form and her combination with Kelly Lockwood has challenged every defensive combination in the competition.
Much will also depend on both teams working hard without the ball to slow the opposition’s ball movement as both sides thrive on speed of ball.
Daisy Tunkin and Lillie Paul for the Saints and Kaitlin Egan and Brianna Walters for North love hitting the circle hard and delivering from close range to their shooters and the mid court defence will be critical.
Every on court match up looks even so it will take a couple of standout performances to separate the two sides with Millicent turning the tables in a tight clash.
West Gambier v East Gambier
West Gambier continues to dominate the competition and it is hard to see how East Gambier can halt their stunning run in 2024.
The Roos are a scoring machine and also strangle teams’ ability to score with their defensive pressure and when you add to the speed in the mid court, West continues to be the competition pacesetters.
East Gambier has had its moments of challenging the top sides but just cannot quite maintain the rage for four quarters and while they have an accurate shooting combination in Renee Henke and Malinda Foster, it is usually a question of supply and not getting enough chances to impact the scoreboard.
Mikaela Horrigan and Amy Cram will deny time and space for the Bulldogs goalers and the ball movement will be tested by the tenacious defensive efforts of Tara Bryant and Chelsea Tremelling.
And while the Roos make it tough to score, the flip side of that is they generate considerably more scoring opportunities and have an accurate shooting combination in Sarah Ritter and Lisa McGregor and the Roos shooting duo is coming off a performance where they really shared the shooting responsibilities.
Sharna McKinnon will have her hands full trying to deny Ritter easy possession and she will be hoping her defensive colleagues – Bo Creek and Morgan Amy – pressure the delivery.
In the end, West is just a class above at the moment and will take the points.
South Gambier v Casterton Sandford
When South Gambier and Casterton Sandford met in round 5 at Island Park, the Cats held their nerve and finished the stronger of the two to secure a victory that broke a three season drought.
The Cats followed that up with a victory over East Gambier and will head to Blue Lake Sports Park this weekend full of confidence they can pick up another win and stay in the hunt for a finals berth.
Young goal attack Chelsea Hulm remains under an injury cloud but could yet suit up, while South will be hopeful star defender Ellie Bouchier has overcome illness and can take her place in the line up.
In that round 5 clash, circle defenders Caeleigh Humphries and Chloe Finnigan were relentless with their physical pressure and they forced the South frontline into error time and time again, while at the other end, Hulm was creative out front and Holly Smith was strong at the post.
South had a demoralising performance at the weekend against Millicent and will be looking to prove that performance was the exception not the rule with a more consistent, high energy performance against the Cats.
Bouchier will be key and Mykaela Thiele will be looking to make life tougher for Smith, while in the shooting circle Ash Widdison and Gracie Dalton will need to be strong in the contest and accurate on the finish.
Madalene Cleary will be key in the mid court for the Cats and her leadership was critical in the round 5 win, while South will need Megan Reid, Tully McShane and Teresa Humphris to be patient with ball in hand and also be committed to denying time and space to the Cats when in defensive mode.
Much will depend on Hulm’s availability but the Cats might just do it again in a closer contest.
