BATHURST’S leading shooters versus the city’s best defenders – that tantalising battle will play out on Saturday afternoon as the Bathurst Netball Association’s A grade competition resumes.
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Following a break over the school holiday period, competition leaders Bulldogs Verdelho will square off with the third-placed Panthers A.
So far this season both sides have tasted defeat just once, but Bulldogs’ defeat came to the hands of Panthers in round two, going down 47-25.
Panthers A coach Di Coombes knows repeating that result will require some quality netball, with plenty hinging on how her shooters Jess Matthews and Claire Woolmington fare against the quality Bulldogs defence.
“Their defence is great, it's basically the opens defence, the defence from our rep side, but our shooters Claire and Jess have been playing really well,” Coombes said.
“Claire and Jess, they are the open shooters, so it’s going to be a great contest seeing the open shooters against the open defence.
“I think it's going to be a really good game. We will go out there and see what we can do, but if we don't win it's not the end of the world, our goal is to make the semis.”
While all sides sat out the mid-season break, for Panthers it has been almost a month between games given they had a competition bye prior to that.
On top of that, the return will have an emotional element for Panthers as well. It will be the first time the side has played since Coombes’ mother lost her fight with cancer.
“I think the game is going to be a tough one against Bulldogs, but the girls trained extremely well on Monday night and as a team, they have been really supportive of me, so we'll see how we go,” the coach said.
“We set ourselves a goal at the beginning of the year, we want to make sure that we make the semis. So we're aiming to do that and then see where we go from there.
“I do think it's good for us to come back with a tough game and it will be interesting to see how the girls go after a little bit of a break.
“We've had a few new ones come in this year, but they have just fitted in so well. It helps that everyone is just so versatile, we don't lose anything when we put players on and off.
“They are really enjoying playing together as well, you can see it on court.”
Panthers A and Bulldogs will do battle from 1.15pm, with the other A grade games seeing Collegians Mystified facing LJ Hooker Hawks at 2.30pm and Nova Pursuit taking on Mana Wasps from 3.45pm.
