Merbein building into season

ON the cusp of leaping into the SFNL A Grade netball top four, Merbein could be a dangerous proposition for any opponent in 2023.

Comfortably clear in fifth on the ladder, the Magpies can put further distance between themselves and the chasing pack if they can secure a win against Imperials on Saturday.

Coach Breigh Hammet is pleased her young squad have started the season with three wins in five games, but admitted improvements can be made in a number of areas.

An outstanding third quarter against Red Cliffs last Saturday ensured the Pies won by five goals at Kenny Park, however they did whittle away a lead of 13 late in the game.

“Our third quarter was brilliant but we’re still yet to put four quarters together which is a conversation I had with the girls,” Hammet said.

“We take a while to warm up then we seem to have good second and third quarters, but we’re just not finishing well so we need to make sure we play a full four quarters.”

A number of Pies are growing wings as the season picks up pace.

Skipper Johannah Gray and off-season acquisition Sophie Kroehn provide a strong intercepting presence in defence, Sophie Gray is one of a number of young mid-court players in the league beginning to blossom, and Olivia Bowden and Zali McMonnies are flourishing with greater responsibility in the A Grade side.

“Our defence is not an issue, we’re a defensive team, we get our hands all over the ball and even my attackers defend well. The problem is then maintaining possession and finishing with it,” Hammet said.

“When you’re getting 10 more attempts at goal you should be winning but if you don’t get those in that’s not happening. That’s not always the shooters missing, it’s also the feeds into the circle and maintaining that possession.

“The bonus is if you can take the win and still have things to work on then there’s positives there.”

The Merbein coach said the 2023 season will be a tight race, believing multiple teams are at similar level.

“There’s five or six teams there where you really don’t know who is going to come out on the top when they face each other, and a lot of that is because we have a lot of youth operating in mid court,” she said.

“Against all the teams, you have to keep that pressure on.”

Trailing South Mildura by two points the girls in black and white can jump into the top four with South having the bye this week.