WEST GAMBIER V SOUTH GAMBIER


South Gambier could not be heading to Malseed Park at a worse time.


West Gambier was undefeated until round 11 and now have suffered two back to back losses to North Gambier and Millicent.


Experienced coach Lisa McGregor, her co-coach shooting star Sarah Ritter and her sister and defensive general Amy Cram will be far from panicking but will be looking to iron out the wrinkles with finals only a month away.


It means South Gambier can expect a strong start from the Roos this weekend and that all begins with a suffocating, all court defence.


Amy Cram and Mikaela Horrigan will deny time and space to the shooting combination of Ash Widdison and Gracie Dalton and the mid court will also be under pressure from the work of Tara Bryant and Chelsea Tremelling, who will look to force errors on the feed.


It means patience and smarts will be the order of the day to find a way through for Teresa Humphris, who is coming off her best month of netball, Tully McShane, Megan Reid and Sophie Wight.


That mid court will also have to focus strongly on applying their own pressure when they do not have the ball as moving the ball with speed is the MO of the Roos and if they can get that game going, circle defenders Mykaela Thiele and Ellie Bouchier will have no hope of slowing the scoring.


Despite the shocking conditions at the weekend, Ritter and McGregor finished with impressive accuracy and in 2024 they have been sharing the shooting responsibilities more than ever.


Give them enough opportunities and the scoreboard will tick over – and tick over quickly.


South matched North for the second and fourth quarters at the weekend but cannot afford to have any lapses at all if they hope to stay in touch on that scoreboard.


Unfortunately for the Demons, this could well be a masterclass from the Roos.


CASTERTON SANDFORD V NORTH GAMBIER


Casterton Sandford defied the odds for much of their round 12 match with East Gambier despite missing key personnel but this weekend is a step up in class and the Tigers are building nicely and are looking to lock in a top two finish.


North Gambier was challenged by South Gambier at the weekend but still had the match very much in their keeping and they will be looking to put in a four quarter performance against the Cats.


Kelly Lockwood and Macey Griffith shot so impressively in the blustery conditions at the weekend and if the likes of Chloe Finnigan, Ebany Jarrad, Caeleigh Humphries and Holly Smith cannot limit the scoring opportunities, the Tigers will build an impressive total.


The bad news for Casterton Sandford is the form of Kaitlin Egan, who has mainly taken the centre bib in the past month, and Brianna Walters, on the attacking wing, has been of the highest quality and their ability to hit the circle and deliver the ball with precision ensures Lockwood and Griffith have plenty of shots on goal.


At the other end of the court, the injection of Mel Renko into the defensive circle has proved a masterstroke, despite the fact it was forced to some extent by Lauran Norman’s absence, but the injured Shirley Underwood Medallist was back on court at the weekend and the Tigers now have their full squad on offer with Norman, Ava Collins and Stella Mobbs all playing alongside Renko, using their height and athleticism to make scoring tough for opposition frontlines.


Renko could also be released back into the mid court, giving the Tigers endless opportunities to pivot if required.


Cheslea Hulm and Madalene Cleary started to gel as a shooting combination at the weekend, with Smith no doubt set for a return to that end of the court if the defensive stocks missing from the weekend return, while Indi Longhurst, despite being a teenager, led the mid court with aplomb.


The Cats have had a vastly improved 2024 but you just cannot see a way for them to upset the Tigers, despite the fact they have challenged North in both previous meetings.


MILLICENT V EAST GAMBIER


Millicent has been quietly building over 2024 with a less than settled line-up than in previous seasons but as the Saints settle their preferred combination, the results are coming and their victory over West Gambier at the weekend would have certainly injected further confidence into the line-up.


Nikeisha Facey looked as settled as she has been all season in goal shooter as her combination with star goal attack Demi Verbena really starts to take shape, while Lillie Paul and Daisy Tunkin showed great maturity and work rate as they connected with that shooting combination.


Millicent always looks good when Lisa Duldig is at wing defence, marshalling the defensive troops and Lauren Van Eeden was again outstanding, while Portia McRae has had her most consistent season.


Frighteningly for opposition teams, that victory in round 12 came without star utility Edie Easterby and given she can do damage in all three areas of the court, she could well be an X factor as the business end of the season approaches.


East showed great grit and determination to secure victory at the weekend in Bo Creek’s 300th game and her battle with Verbena will be one of the match shaping contests, as will Malinda Foster’s form – she continues to be the focal point of the East shooting circle whether at goal shooter or goal attack.


Tegan Nunan and Casey Horrigan will need to be patient and prepared to change the angles and move the ball quickly to unsettle the Saints defence and find Foster and her accurate shooting partner Renee Henke in good shooting position.


Unfortunately, Millicent has secured the scalp it would have been looking for and is still in the hunt for a top two finish and the double chance so East can expect no mercy against the best defensive line-up in the competition.