LAKE Wendouree coach Meg Porter has emphasised the importance of a full four quarter effort as her side heads into a top four showdown against Sunbury this Saturday.<\/p>\n
Barring a North Ballarat loss to Sebastopol, third place on the ladder will be up for grabs when the Lions and Lakers clash at Clarke Oval.<\/p>\n
Lake Wendouree, currently third, moved to 4-1-1 before the interleague break with a hard-fought but convincing 56-39 win over East Point, taking control of the game after quarter time.<\/p>\n
Porter, in her first season as the Lakers A-grade coach, said a fast start and sustained effort were imperative to her side’s chances against a Lions team, gradually gaining in strength and momentum.<\/p>\n
You’ve got to play the full hour .. that’s what it takes. You can’t afford not to,” Porter said when asked about the key to a Lakers victory.<\/p>\n
“And you need to bring the pressure everywhere.<\/p>\n
“It will be a great test of where we are at as a team.<\/p>\n
“Until you play everyone, you don’t know where you sit.<\/p>\n
“Sunbury have been missing some of their big guns some rounds, so you just need to be switched on and playing for as long as you possibly can.<\/p>\n
“One-percenters will be crucial.”<\/p>\n
Porter hailed the Lakers’ win over East Point as one of their more impressive ‘full-team’ efforts for the season and is hopeful of carrying that momentum into their clash with Sunbury.<\/p>\n
Lions premiership coach Kim Bailey warned her side would need to bring their A-game against a youthful and dangerous Lakers.<\/p>\n
“They’ve shown everyone they are a good side; and they’re young,” she said.<\/p>\n
“They’re sitting third, which has been well-earned as every game is a tough game in the BFNL now.<\/p>\n
“You’re always going to be pushed, no matter who.”<\/p>\n
“It’s a bit of a crunch game in terms of the ladder.”<\/p>\n
The Lions have been dealt a blow with confirmation Sarah Croft will miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury.<\/p>\n
They have however regained Abigail Inglis, who featured in the Lions’ 18-goal round 6 win over Bacchus Marsh.<\/p>\n
Bailey has inked in their round 10 grand final rematch against Darley as the starting point for high-profile recruit and Melbourne Mavericks training partner Ruby Shannon’s season.<\/p>\n
“It’s been a disrupted start to the season, but we appreciate we’ll be stronger towards the second half of the year,” she said.<\/p>\n
“You don’t win finals in May or June \u2026 and it’s nice to be the underdogs for once.<\/p>\n
“No matter what team she is in, Ruby makes a massive difference, so we’ll patiently wait.<\/p>\n
“We’ve still got Tayla Honey and Georgia Hellyer, so the midcourt is strong.”<\/p>\n
In other games this weekend, sixth-placed Sebastopol hosts North Ballarat (second); Ballarat (fifth) and Bacchus Marsh (seventh) clash at Alfredton Recreation Reserve; Darley (top) plays Redan (eighth) at Darley Park; and East Point (ninth) and Melton (10th) will both chase their first win against each other at Eastern Oval.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LAKE Wendouree coach Meg Porter has emphasised the importance of a full four quarter effort as her side heads into a top four showdown against Sunbury this Saturday. Barring a North Ballarat loss to Sebastopol, third place on the ladder will be up for grabs when the Lions and Lakers clash at Clarke Oval. Lake […]<\/p>\n