University of Newcastle coach Traci Baber expects the midcourt to prove telling as they battle West Leagues Balance for outright second position in round 10 of Newcastle championship netball at National Park on Saturday.
The two sides are level-pegged on 18 points with University second and West third on percentages. But the winner on Saturday can break away as the season reaches its midpoint before the competition breaks for another two weekends.
University will be light through the midcourt with Claudia Rodwell (COVID related) and Karli Robards (unavailable) both out. They are also missing circle defender Keely Mullins through unavailability and injured goal attack Bronte Magin (fractured elbow).
"Veronica Smith and Angela Williams in the defence end will have to step up," Baber said. "That's where you win it with West - you've got to stop their shooting end.
"I've still got Sabina [Gombosa] and Abbie Gray in the shooting circle, so that's still fairly strong. We've got our ends intact and it's in the middle where we'll see how we go, I suppose."
Baber still has experienced Ellie McVey in the middle and will call on opens players Maddie Scullion and Petrea Apostolou.
"We say the last couple of years have been hard, but this one has been just as bad," Baber said.
"But now it's all about bringing up the young ones and seeing how you go.
"West will be the same. I won't have a clue who West will have playing because I know [coach Tracey Baggs] is struggling with the same sort of thing, but obviously whoever she puts out is going to still be strong and it's not going to really matter. We've just got to play really well."
The games will be the first for three weeks. No matches were scheduled on the June long weekend then last weekend's round was washed out.
Baber lamented the lack of consistency in what has been a stop-start campaign due to an unprecedented number of round wash-outs, which has again seemingly highlighted the city's need for an indoor venue.
As it stands, rounds nine (Sunday, July 17), three (Sunday, July 24) and six (Saturday, August 13) have been rescheduled with Sunday, August 14 a spare date.
"It's been like that all season," Baber said. "We do what we can do, train when we can train, put out who we can put out and see where we are at the end."
Undefeated Souths (20 points) play Kotara South (10), fourth-placed Nova Thunder (16) take on BNC (10) and Inner Glow (9) meet Junction (10).
All games are at 3.45pm.
AAP reports: With its 2021 financial results confirming a multi-million dollar loss, Netball Australia is in the process of extending current loans until 2025.
The sport's governing body released its results following the AGM, revealing a $4.4 million loss for the financial year - up $1.6 million from 2020.
Netball's bleak position was revealed last week, with chief executive Kelly Ryan insisting the game wasn't on the brink of financial collapse. But NA is considering accepting gambling advertising money as it searches for ways to generate more revenue.
As well as the current hit of $4.4 million, much of the loss has been blamed on the cost of running Super Netball hubs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Super Netball preliminary final will be held on Saturday with the Melbourne Vixens and Giants squaring off for a place in the grand final against West Coast. Vixens lost 71-64 to Fever in the semi-finals while Giants beat Collingwood 55-48.
