BULLDOGS Verdelho and City Colts are getting set for back-to-back Bathurst Netball Association A grade meetings with one another, starting on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
While this Saturday's match will be the less important of the two – with the following weekend’s major semi-final between the sides still to come – it’s still one which both sides will badly want to win.
Saturday’s top-of-the-table meeting between minor premiers Bulldogs and the second-placed Colts is the ideal finals warm-up for both teams.
Neither can be knocked down from their respective positions on the ladder.
LJ Hooker Heat and Panthers Duncans have to settle for the next two spots on the table regardless of how this weekend plays out.
Bulldogs have had the edge on Colts so far this year with two wins to the tune of 53-31 and 36-26.
However, the end of the season can bring out the best in teams according to Bulldogs coach Catherine Welch.
“This is going to be tough because Colts are a very classy side,” she said.
“They’ve got strengths at both ends of the court and that’s why they find a lot of success.”
Bulldogs come into the match off a win against the Heat but prior to that had their winning streak stopped after going down to Panthers in a close 56-54 loss.
Welch said that loss was a valuable lesson for her defending champions.
“The girls didn’t like copping that loss. There wasn’t enough intensity in their game though. Panthers were the better side and they deserved that win,” she said.
“The girls now know that they’re not unbeatable. Now they have to learn from it.”
Welch is keen to see her side play the match like their season is on the line, despite already having top spot locked up.
“My approach is to go out and try to win every game. I’m not into playing games with people,” she said.
“We don’t really need to try and avoid ‘showing our cards’. There’s five [senior] teams in this competition and everyone already knows each other well so I don’t think there’s any point to going out there trying to hide your strengths.”
In a dangerous sign for Bulldogs, Colts beat Panthers 54-28 last round.
Colts and Bulldogs are the first of the day’s A grade matches as they get underway from 1.15pm.
The following match will see the Bathurst under 15s representatives get their final match of the season against the Heat from 2.30pm.
Nova Pursuit are no longer able to make the finals but that won't stop them trying to keep Panthers on their toes in the final match of the day at 3.45pm.
