NANGILOC get the chance to confirm they are well and truly back in the title race when they head down to the Lake to take on second-placed Werrimull.
Last week the reigning A Grade premiers pulled off their most impressive win of the season they knocked of then number side Cardross at home.
That 27-goal romp saw them push their way into the top four for the first time after a torrid start to the season and showed the Demons, despite being a far different looking squad from the one which shockingly claimed last year’s pennant, is still a force to be reckoned with.
After an 0-5 start to ’25, the Dees have rattled off three wins in their past four games and, while still a way off the top three on the ladder, are gaining momentum.
Coach Ginine Sluiter has her side playing with belief now and the parts are all starting to come together after a disjointed start with Sluiter, Amber King, Shayna Saunders and Tamara Loveridge regularly among Nangy’s best.
But the Magpies, at 6-3, will be hard to toss on their home court. They had a comfortable if not particularly impressive win over bottom placed Gol Gol last week and would love to put some more points space on the table between themselves and the Dees.
Their best at the weekend included Chelsea Newey, Maddison Maher and Brooke Watson but they have had a number of consistent performers to call upon through this campaign.
Cardross will be keen to bounce back from their loss last week when they welcome a tricky but inconsistent Meringur team to their court.
Centre Bronte Burgess, Georgia Leutner and Lily Thompson were the Lions’ top players in that pounding from Nangy and will be out to get their 5-3-1 team back on course and maintain a relatively comfortable buffer in third between themselves and closing Nangiloc.
Meringur never seriously challenged chart toppers Bambill at Lake Cullulleraine last round but fought hard to the end in a 15-goal loss.
Madelyn McPhee and star winger Christina Villiva were again among the Kangaroos’ best along with Emily Birch and co-coaches Bella Connell and Susie Wilson are also on-court leaders, but this will be a tough task against a wounded Lions’ pride.
Bambill, apart from a draw with Cardross are rolling along smoothly at the top of the table undefeated and with a 10-point gap over nearest rivals Werrimull.
They have the joy of hosting bottom side Gol Gol today and should comfortably enhance their title claims.
The Hawks have a solitary win to their name but have been competitive in most of their encounters. Ally Stanborough, Abbey Curran and Jarae Johnson battled it out in the loss against the Pies last week, but this is another step up in class.
The Saints have class all over the court, including Tessa Houkamau, Roanna Gathercole and Tayla Davison-Amao, who were last week’s best three, and Maddy Tormey, Ebony Roberts and Kaylie Monaghan.
PREDICTIONS: Magpies by three goals, Lions by 11, Saints by 22
