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    WORKING HARD: Nhill wing-attack Tess McQueen in action against Horsham Saints last weekend. The Tigers have a mighty task against Southern Mallee Giants on Saturday. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER

Big games await Ararat netballers

Ararat will need all guns firing to maintain touch with Wimmera netball league leaders when it takes on Warrack Eagles on Saturday.

The Rats are unlucky to be sitting seventh on the ladder after some narrow defeats, but face an Eagles side brimming with confidence after scoring a 39-36 win over Horsham.

This weekend looms as a potential make-or-break round for teams with finals aspirations.

Ararat slipped again at the line last weekend, this time in a 30-34 loss to Dimboola, and will need to maintain patience as well as form to change its fortunes.



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Jessica Taylor, Jesse Bligh and Monique Scott will be among key Rats with a mighty job. They will have to shut down the Eagles’ exceptional centre-court drive generated by Ashlynn McKenzie, Sarah Spicer and Emma Koschitzke, who can all run at centre without losing intensity.

Ararat’s Rebecca Skrabl and Racquel Scott have the ability to match up well against Eagles goalies Megan Werner and Briodi McKenzie, which means the contest might come down to which team comes out on top at the Rats’ goal end.

The Eagles have an adaptable team giving them the luxury to change things up when needed, but also beat a Horsham side missing star Emma Buwalda.

Another game that could go either way is a clash between Horsham Saints and Minyip-Murtoa.

The Saints, coming off a 56-28 win over Nhill, are developing each week, with Kiana Marshman, Elly Barnett and Jess Cannane building a strong defensive unit that will look to limit Georgia McLennan’s effectiveness.

 

Megan Byrne and Ashlee Grace work the centre court well and are delivering the ball reliably to their goalers.

Emily Langley, Ellie McGrath, Stacey Arnold and Angie Clarke will need to create uncertainty in the Saints attack.

Experimenting

The Burras stayed with Southern Mallee Giants for the quarter in their last outing, but later fell away.

With a practically new team, they seem to be experimenting with players and combinations and are sure to come off the bye eager for a win.  

Nhill takes on Southern Mallee Giants in a game between first and ninth on the ladder.

Nhill will find it tough against the Giants, who beat Stawell 59-42, and have the bonus of Trudi Cook, Caitlin Hickey and Maddelyne Shannon all working in a strong a defensive circle.

This means Nhill’s Claudia McRae and Charlotte Foulds will need to present strongly to give their side an avenue to goal.

At the other end of the court, Nhill’s Sydney Thorogood and Maddison Peterkin will need to work hard to stop Steph Thomson and Zali Brown, proving to be a strong and confident combination in goals.

Stawell meets Dimboola meanwhile in what represents an important match for both teams and a winner is hard to pick.

The Warriors’ Jemma Clarkson and Madi Taylor will need to ensure their passes into the circle are on point to Zanaiya Bergen and Ebony Summers. They will also need to get past midcourt pressure applied from the likes of Meaghan Pohlner, Ruby Redford and Emily Polack.

They will then need to team up with Courtney McIlvride to provide defensive pressure through the centre to disrupt passing into Dimboola’s attacking end.

Dimboola would be confident and Billie-Jo Barber and Nicole Polycarpou will be looking to get around Warriors defenders Lisa Fleming and Rachel Wood and open scoring opportunities.

The entire May 5, 2021 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!