Wenty in cruise control

AFTER round eight of the SFNL the Wentworth A Grade netball team are in complete command of the season being 10 points clear on top of the ladder.

The Merbein Magpies had the benefit of a home ground advantage and for the first 10 minutes, with play fairly even.

However, with Roos’ players Molly Mangan on the wing and Jessica Minter in centre passing accurately to Amanda Edwards in goal attack, Wentworth started dominating the scoreboard.

The visitors were eight goals up at quarter time.

To make things trickier for Merbein, Wentworth brought on goal shooter Torah Woodhead in the second quarter.

She gave the Roos even more height and Magpies defenders Keita McKee and Johannah Gray were under fire with Wentworth scoring five goals before Tasharni Hynes broke the seal for the Maggies.

McKee was subbed off to try and find a better match up against Edwards and Roos goal shooter Elizabeth Rowe, but even with Sophie Gray running her legs off in centre Merbein were down by 21 goals at half-time.

It proved to be an insurmountable score as the the second half was again dominated by Wentworth.

It was again a complete game from Wentworth as the Roos attacking players defended superbly, and defenders like Natalie Vercher and Courtney Wakefield provide many attacking opportunities.

Vanessa Rodi for Merbein came back on after a break in the second quarter to try and give her team a boost but Lola McInerney in wing defence negated the change and made it almost impossible for the Pies to score.

Merbein playing coach Johannah Gray moved from defence to goal attack for the last quarter and scored three in a row.

However, her counterpart Edwards for the Roos hardly missed a shot for the game, and she had many, many scoring opportunities.

Edwards said she was happy with the win and drew attention to Woodhead’s first game in A Grade.

“She added some height in attack and we had a really good win with a few players out,” Edwards said.

“It gave others an opportunity to step up so we are happy with our effort out on court.

In round nine Wentworth will play second-placed Mildura on the King’s Birthday long weekend.

“We will stick to our own structures but it will be a really good contest,” Edwards said.

“We are just looking one weekend ahead for now until we have played everyone.”