The Greater Western Victoria Rebels will get the chance to bounce back from its loss when it takes on the Bendigo Pioneers in the Youth Girls competition at Alfredton Oval on Sunday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Rebels lost by 29 points to the Geelong Falcons in round two but will welcome back some players to the team for the round three match.
Coach Jeff Whittaker said the inclusions were part of a rotation policy.
"Hopefully we get Sophie Molan from a hamstring injury which forced her to miss the Falcons game,” he said.
“Every girl has to get at least one game over the five week season.
"It is a development program, so our aim is to ensure that they all get a turn but there are some girls who will play all the games because they are on the radar of Victoria Country selectors.”
Whittaker said he was impressed by how well the Ararat Storm players have slotted into the Rebels squad.
"Alyssa Humphries kicked six goals against the Jets in the first game and Georgia Clarke has been playing some good footy across the half-back line for us,” he said.
"Our main focus for all those girls is just trying to work on their game awareness and continue improving their kicking skills.
“We have to remember some of them have not been playing for too long.”
Clarke and Ella Wood were both named in the Rebels’ best players against the Falcons, but the team will need a more even effort from the team if they are to get over the Pioneers.
Whittaker said the team looked at what they needed to do to improve after the match.
"We are all disappointed about the result last weekend,” he said.
“We faded out in the end, even a couple of minutes into the last quarter there was nothing in it.
"I Certainly hope we will give a good account of ourselves this weekend against Bendigo.”
Whittaker said the team had been working on its ball movement during the week.
"In Saturday we probably overused the ball a few times with handballs,” he said.
"When they girls are free, we try and encourage them to move the ball quicker by kicking it.
“So that has been one of the main focuses for us on the track.”
The Rebels under-18 TAC Cup team will face the Pioneers after the Youth Girls game is finished to complete the triple header, starting with the under-16 development game.