SMW Rovers travel to Moyston to battle the Pumas with the home team needing to win to keep its finals hopes alive on Saturday.
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Moyston-Willaura put in a strong performance against Tatyoon in round nine but will come up against an SMW Rovers team who will no doubt want to make amends for their 54-goal loss to Penshurst last weekend.
Rovers coach Kate Bibby said the team was confident it can bounce back after the bad performance last game.
“We had a horrible week last week and it didn’t do according to plan, so we are hoping this week is better,” she said.
The Bulldogs will be boosted by a key inclusion with Peta Byrne to take the court.
Bibby said she will play in goals and will give the team a big target to aim for down the attacking end.
“Peta’s inclusion is a big boost for us,” she said.
“The other girls on the court have started to gel, so it should flow quite nicely down the court and Peta’s height is a massive difference.”
The round 10 clash will also have extra significance with it being Jo Read’s final game for the season.
Bibby said the team was hoping to send her off with a victory.
“Jo will play her last game for the year, we will miss her and a win would be a lovely farewell for her,” she said.
The Pumas will go in as favourites to get the points but Bibby said the team was confident they can cause an upset.
“I would hope this week will be a close match,” she said.
“I would imagine it will be more of a high-scoring type of game, both teams have strong players in goals.
“Zanetta Hosking is always a bit of a handful, so have to try to shut her down and Chloe Dunmore is always usually quite strong.
“They are normally pretty mobile and usually demand a lot of attention.”
The midcourt battle will be interesting with Jacqui Peel set to clash with Angela Brain in a battle of the centre positions.
The match-up will go a long way to deciding who wins with supply from the midcourt critical.
Bibby said Brain has been a key player in the team’s improvement this season.
“Angela Brain has been doing a great job for us at centre, being a defender before, her pressure is good which will be important against the Pumas,” she said.
The Pumas must win the clash if they are to stay in touch with the top five with the team two wins behind fifth-placed Glenthompson-Dunkeld.
The Pumas’ first home game at Moyston for 2018 is set for a 1pm start.