Magpies, Bloods strive to gain edge in lead-up to finals
LIKELY to meet in an A-grade netball elimination final, Castlemaine and South Bendigo will strive to gain a psychological edge when they clash in Saturday’s 14th round of the Bendigo Bank Bendigo Football Netball League season.
The Magpies and Bloods will meet on Castlemaine’s court at Camp Reserve.
Both teams won last Saturday.
A 50-44 win by Castlemaine at Strathfieldsaye’s Triple M Park has the Magpies on an 8-5 record in their return to A-grade this season.
South Bendigo marked a 50-44 victory against Kyneton at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
The Bloods and Tigers drew their fourth round showdown at Tigerland for South Bendigo to have a tally of eight wins, four losses, one draw.
When South Bendigo and Castlemaine met in round five at the QEO it was the Bloods who made a strong finish to the contest to claim a 61-46 victory.
Chloe Langley and Olivia Mason led the Bloods’ attack as they won the final quarter, 23-12.
After a long-running winning streak was broken, Sandhurst returns to the QEO to take on Golden Square.
The Tamara Gilchrist-coached Sandhurst was outplayed for most of last Saturday’s match on Kangaroo Flat’s court at Dower Park.
At the final siren the Roos had jumped to a 17-goal lead.
The Dragons have too much class in all thirds of the court for Golden Square to hold.
In round five, Sandhurst won by 70 goals at Golden Square’s Fur Life Oval.
Eaglehawk has a chance to climb to the sixth rung by beating Maryborough at Canterbury Park.
The Hawks go into the match on 16 points, but a win for the Magpies would mean a switch in ladder positions.
When these clubs met in round five it was Maryborough which outplayed the Two Blues at Princes Park.
Kyneton faces a daunting task against a Kangaroo Flat line-up which has jumped to the top of the ladder.
The Tigers do have home-court advantage, but the Roos have a tough defence, classy mid-courters and powerful attack.
Kangaroo Flat beat the yellow and black by 25 goals in round five and should mark its 13th victory of the season.
At Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve the Bulldogs take on Strathfieldsaye Storm.
The red, white and blue won by 33 goals on Storm’s court in round five and is always tough to beat down south.
Standings in the Bendigo FNL’s A-grade netball competition:
Kangaroo Flat 207 per cent, 48 points; Sandhurst 180, 48; Gisborne 134, 40; South Bendigo 115, 34; Castlemaine 110, 32; Kyneton 82, 18; Eaglehawk 68, 16; Maryborough 78, 12; Strathfieldsaye 69, 12; Golden Square 43, 0.
Written by Nathan Dole.
