THE first three months of Mana's 2019 Bathurst Netball Association season were undoubtedly tough, but the experience that came each Saturday is now starting to pay off.
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For season 2019 Bathurst Netball Association officials made the decision to run an expanded A grade competition featuring 10 teams before then splitting it for the run into the finals.
Mana managed a pair of wins over the nine rounds under the joint league, meaning when the split came they were placed in A reserve 1 instead of A grade.
However, the less experienced players Mana promoted to their top side who tested themselves in the combined competition are showing the benefit of that netball.
Players such as Maeve Beuzeville who helped Mana's drive through the middle of the court and feed her shooters well last Saturday as her side posted a 40-27 victory against Panthers Toshacks.
"I bumped her up, last year she was in B grade," experienced Mana talent Saphi Mitai-Ngatai said of Beuzeville.
"I asked her if she wanted to play in A grade - she was panicking about it, but I told her she'd be fine there.
"I said to her 'How far do you know you can push your body if you don't go up into that situation?'.
"She's been great, she's handled it, she's our gun at the moment in the mid court."
The A reserve 1 actions continues this Saturday, with Mana to face CSU Hawkes.
