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Hayley Howard was prominent with nine first-quarter goals at 100 per cent, before making way for Ruby Barkmeyer (15 at 100 per cent) in her second Strikers game.<\/p>\n
Already without star defender Charlotte Sexton, now plying her trade with the Melbourne Mavericks in the SSN, the Strikers were dealt a blow by the withdrawal of Teal Hocking and Dayna Williams with injuries.<\/p>\n
Their absence paved the way for defender Eliza Mooney and vice-captain Asha Gray from the 23-and-under team to make their championship debuts.<\/p>\n
Brereton said it was a special moment for both players.<\/p>\n
“It’s been tough, we have some players in higher programs and injuries and things but if you have a good training set-up across your 23s and champs, where we are together all the time, it’s pretty seamless for some 23s to step up,” she said.<\/p>\n
“And we had Eliza Mooney and Asha Grey step up and debut.<\/p>\n
“Even though it’s devastating to have Teal and Dayna out with injuries, to be able to blood some 23s, it really shows we have a pathway here at Strikers.<\/p>\n
“They were both rapt. Eliza was a bit shocked when she was going on from the start of the fourth quarter, but this is what it’s about and how it starts.”<\/p>\n
Brereton backed both players to make the full-time progression to the championship division in the years ahead.<\/p>\n
Crucially, Brereton said the Strikers were ‘thriving on the challenges’ being thrown their way early in the season.<\/p>\n
“I did put it out to them (on Sunday) that if we can win, we could potentially go to second on the ladder,” she said.<\/p>\n
“As a coach you are sometimes scared about saying that \u2013 is it too much pressure on them?<\/p>\n
“But you know what, I think they love it and it really made them see what’s at stake and how much it meant.<\/p>\n
“If we do go to second, it’s a position we’ve never been in.”<\/p>\n
Both the Strikers and Hawks were coming off similar short back-ups on Wednesday night, with the reigning champions having notched up a hard-fought 59-46 win over Geelong Cougars on Sunday night.<\/p>\n
The Hawks are the only team the Strikers have failed to beat at championship level in their three years in the competition.<\/p>\n
Heading into the season, the Strikers had yet to defeat three teams but have since ticked off wins against Boroondara Express and City West Falcons respectively in rounds 1 and 4.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BENDIGO Strikers championship coach Tracey Brereton has praised her side’s growing consistency, which has led to a 4-1 start to the Victorian Netball League (VNL) season. The Strikers marked their first ever home game at Mercy Junortoun Sporting Precinct with a convincing 18-goal win over Southern Saints last Sunday. It was enough to elevate them […]<\/p>\n