STARTING the season “better than expected”, with an unbeaten run in the Millewa A Grade netball competition, Nangiloc will face their toughest challenge against arch rivals Bambill on Saturday.
The ‘Mega Day’ line-up of netball contests at Mildura Sporting Precinct will be highlighted by the grand final rematch between undefeated teams, Bambill and Nangiloc.
Nangiloc are on top of the ladder, ahead of Bambill, which only dropped points in a round 1 draw with Gol Gol.
Nangiloc co-coach Tamara Loveridge said the team had mixed feelings about this weekend.
“We have actually got our full team this week so we are very happy about that, we have always had a player out,” she said.
“But some of us are a bit nervous given it is our first time playing them since we lost to them.”
Loveridge said she thought the girls were doing well this season after many of last year’s players didn’t return.
“We do have a lot of experienced players, but there is at least three or four of them that haven’t played for six years,” she said.
“We weren’t sure how that was going to go but we gelled well.”
She said she was looking forward to the Mega Day atmosphere.
“I think it is going to make it quite loud which is good,” she said. “It is always good to have a great atmosphere.”
Bambill coach Samantha Garraway said this weekend would be a chance for the Saints to “gauge where they are at”.
“(We have) no real expectations, just that hopefully everything comes together for us on the day,” she said.
“They seem like they are quite a good team with their things together.”
Garraway said Bambill were missing a few players, but was hoping to fill the gaps with some of last year’s team.
The A Grade games begin at 11am when winless Cardross play third-placed Werrimull.
At noon, fourth-placed Gol Gol face fifth-placed Meringur.
The Bambill-Nangiloc clash is scheduled to start at 12.20pm.
