Sport
10 August, 2023
Magpies seeking consistency
A representative performance against South Bendigo is on the minds of Maryborough’s netballers this week, given their 50-goal loss nine games ago. On that occasion, Maryborough fielded a weakened side, with multiple first-choice players missing...
A representative performance against South Bendigo is on the minds of Maryborough’s netballers this week, given their 50-goal loss nine games ago.
On that occasion, Maryborough fielded a weakened side, with multiple first-choice players missing due to injury.
However, as has been the case throughout 2023, it’s been an opportunity for Maryborough’s younger brigade to stand out and make an impact at A grade level as they continue to get significant playing minutes.
It was a chance for Ella Patten to have significant minutes in defence last week, and she had a good battle with her Sandhurst counterparts, while the second half saw Tali Chadwick and Millie Cassidy get good minutes in the midcourt directing play.
Maryborough will be looking to score more than the 18 goals they managed against the Bloods in round seven, and recent history suggests they should be able to do so comfortably.
It was a good effort last week to score 33 goals against Sandhurst, who are well-renowned for being one of the best defensive teams in the competition, and that followed a haul of 34 goals against Kangaroo Flat a few weeks prior to that, who rank third for defence.
If Maryborough can breach the South Bendigo defensive third, they could be able to make a game of it.
Elsewhere, Maryborough’s B grade team will be looking for their first win of the season when they take on the Bloods, with the preceding game seeing them lose by just 10 goals against a team who currently lie in fourth position.
Maryborough’s B reserve team are also seeking their first win of the year, having lost their last meeting with South Bendigo by 28 goals.
The 17 and under team will have a crucial meeting with South Bendigo. Given nearest challenger Castlemaine currently lie just one game behind, but play third-placed Golden Square this week, a big win could give the Magpies a two-game gap plus a significant percentage break over their nearest challengers with just two games to play.
They will also be buoyed by their recent effort against Sandhurst last week, where they were desperately close to a victory, but fell short of toppling the Dragons by two goals.