SOUTH MILDURA will be on the hunt for their fifth consecutive win when they take on Merbein in the SFNL A Grade this Saturday.
The Bulldogs and the Magpies sit in fifth and sixth position of the ladder respectively, both recording four wins and four losses for the season so far.
All four of the Bulldogs wins have come since their match against the Swallows in round 4, with that victory seeming to be the catalyst for their terrific run in the subsequent rounds.
“We’ve had a few good wins lately which has been quite nice,” South Mildura playing coach Tara Bate said.
“I think the morale of the girls has lifted a bit.”
Bate said the focus for her team this week will be their combinations and ensuring they are working cohesively as a unit.
“That is our main focus this year – to make sure we are working as a team more than focusing on who we are playing that week,” she said.
Although they will be without Maddy Toms and Eliza O’Sullivan, Ellen Brewster has been elevated from the Bulldogs B Grade side.
Yasmin Thompson will also once again take to the court in the A Grade, being named among the best in the Bulldogs win over Imperials last week.
“It is quite nice that we have got those girls to be able to do that with,” Bates said.
“Because we work so close as a squad at our trainings, it makes it a lot easier for us to be able to bring those players up.”
The last time they met in round 1, there was little to separate the two sides, with the Magpies narrowly getting the points with a two-goal win.
But Merbein coach Breigh Hammet acknowledged that the Bulldogs “are a different team than we matched up with in round 1”.
Hammet said the focus for her side will be on slowing down and maintaining possession of the ball, as well as overall defensive pressure.
“They have height in the ring that we don’t have, so pressure needs to be on the feeders down the court to slow their ball movements,” she said.
Although they will be without Steph White this weekend, B Grader Shelby Hooker will take to the court for the second week in a row, after a solid debut performance in a tough match against Ouyen United last round.
In other games, Red Cliffs will have a hard game ahead of them as they host Wentworth and Quandong Park, Irymple will take on Robinvale-Euston at John James Oval, and the Imperials will go up against Mildura at Brian Weightman Oval.
