Big boost for Bloods ahead of crunch game

STAR goal shooter Gabe Richards is set to bolster South Bendigo ahead of its crunch game against Strathfieldsaye this Saturday, as both teams resume their chase for a top five spot in BFNL A-grader netball.

Richards has missed the last month of netball while travelling overseas, but will be a welcome inclusion as the Bloods look to gain some traction in the second half of the season.

South Bendigo has not won since defeating the Storm by 14 goals in round one of the season.

They drew with Eaglehawk at the QEO in round three, giving them six points for the season to date, enough to be able to cling to a spot in the top five narrowly ahead of Golden Square and Strathfieldsaye, which have one win apiece.

First year Bloods coach Lauren Bowles could not be happier to have her ace goal shooter back.

“Her presence just lifts the girls’ confidence,” she said.

“We’ve been lucky to have such depth in A-reserve to call up some players while she has been away, but Gabe is such a presence off and on the court that it will be great to have her back.”

In a further boost to their future prospects, South Bendigo has secured Richards’ Bendigo Strikers teammate and fellow goaler Bridgette Furphy for a handful of games in the second half of the season, albeit this weekend’s clash against the Storm will not be one of them.

There is no underestimating the importance of the clash for both teams in terms of their finals’ aspirations.

Bowles was quick to concede that it had been a ‘very long time between wins’ for her side, although she has long maintained her side, which has been ravaged by injuries and other unavailability during the season, would be playing its best netball in the second half of the season.

“We are doing okay … I don’t think the scorelines are really doing justice to some of the nice passages of play that we have had over the last couple of weeks,” she said.

“Defensively, Hayley Harrington has stepped up from A-reserve and Maggie Burke has been playing some nice netball, and our midcourters have been connecting at times.

“There have been some glimpses of nice netball, so I’d really like to think in the second half of the year we can be a lot more consistent with our performance and get a few more wins on the board.”

With Strathfieldsaye in the same predicament as the Bloods and badly in need of a win, Bowles was expecting the Storm to bring the fight to her side.

“They will be better the second time round, no doubt,” she said.

“They’ve won only one game, so they will be very eager to get another win.

“I was actually impressed with them in round one and thought much like us they would be better as the season wears on.”

The Storm’s lone win came against Golden Square in round four.

Meanwhile, Gisborne is preparing to tackle the toughest test in BFNL netball against undefeated Kangaroo Flat.

The Bulldogs returned to the winner’s list before the break with a solid win over Golden Square, but will again be without key personnel against the Roos, with stars Claudia Mawson (Vixens) and Zoe Davies (Mavericks) unavailable due to Super Netball Reserves commitments.

Mawson, who injured her shoulder in the lead-up to round one, is yet to play in red, white and blue this season, but is expected to be back against South Bendigo the following week.

Teal Hocking (Mavericks) will be missing for Kangaroo Flat.

On the plus side, Gisborne coach Tarryn Rymer said the Bulldogs would welcome back dual premiership-winning midcourter Emerson Lakey back from overseas.

While they are yet to field their strongest line-up all season, the Bulldogs will embrace the challenge against the competition pacesetters.

“It is frustrating not having our full list, but that said, the club does fully support the girls playing higher level sport,” Rymer said.

“We’re lucky to have a very solid A-reserve team, but playing players up does have a bit of an effect on our lower level teams.

“Against Sandhurst, we had five girls play six quarters, which is a lot.

“It’s going to be tough against Flat, they have players we need top stop all over the court.

“But we will back all our girls to do their job and to treasure possession when we get it. That’s a key.”

Last time they met in round one:

South Bendigo 59 def Strathfieldsaye 44; Kangaroo Flat 64 def Gisborne 36; Golden Square lost to Eaglehawk 60.

Ladder after seven rounds:

1. Kangaroo Flat 6-0

2. Sandhurst 5-1

3. Gisborne 4-2

4. Eaglehawk 2-3-1

5. South Bendigo 1-4-1

6. Golden Square 1-5

7. Strathfieldsaye 1-5