The regular netball season wrapped up on the weekend, and although it may not have ended on the high note both our squads were hoping for, our Sapphires put in more than enough groundwork throughout the season to achieve their goal of finishing in the top two.
They will back it up this weekend for their first round of finals with a re-match against the Cougars.
Sapphire
Bull Sharks v Cougars at Nissan Arena
Bull Sharks lost 79-73
How it was lost
We didn’t have the best start, finding ourselves eight goals down at the first break. Our centre pass defence wasn’t applying enough pressure, which allowed Cougars to score too freely.
What made you happy
The absence of Jayden Molo meant we had to trial different midcourt combinations which we took as valuable preparation for finals. Despite being down by as many as 12 goals, we fought our way back several times, closing the margin to just 2 goals. That resilience and refusal to give in is something I’m very proud of.
Bull Sharks Netball
Of course, I’m disappointed with the loss. But in truth, this game didn’t change our position, and I honestly believe Cougars didn’t beat us - we lost it ourselves. A slow start and a few uncharacteristic errors in crucial moments cost us. The positive is that these are things we can fix quickly.
The work to do
This week will be about detailed analysis. Identifying their attacking patterns and building our defensive strategy around that. Preparing our shooters to handle Cougars’ questionable defensive tactics, both physically and mentally, without letting it drag us away from our style of play.
Trademark players
Our three shooters Kaylin van Greunen, Mia Stower and Kirra Tappenden were outstanding. Their versatility gave us options and impact at the right times. Mia again delivered a huge performance with 13/16 super shots, including a perfect run of one-pointers at 100%.
With Rebecca Stower