EXPECT another huge round of Victorian Netball League (VNL) action this week as the ladder really begins to shape up. A couple of matches boast ladder repercussions, with the current top four sides going head-to-head and potential first wins up for grabs for the bottom-end, while North East Blaze will hope for a chance to leapfrog some sides after sliding into fifth last round.

North East Blaze vs. Southern Saints

North East Blaze open Round 6 of VNL action at Parkville, taking on Southern Saints in what should be a fairly comprehensive encounter for the ‘home’ side, with the Saints still sitting winless down in ninth. Whilst the Blaze have slipped into fifth with a 3-2 record following their loss to City West last week, the side still boasts plenty of fire power and will look to utilise that this week against the Saints, who are still on the hunt for their first win of the season.

Blaze boast some real fire power out the front which they will really want to make use of, while their back-end is jut as threatening not giving an inch across the court. Nyah Allen has been playing a combination of goal attack and goal shooter alongside the similarly versatile and accurate Georgia Moody – the duo missed just a combined seven goals last round in their close loss to the Falcons so will want to continue that this round. Conversely, if the Saints defensive unit can get in their heads early and force a couple of errors it could go a long way to disrupting Blaze’s rhythm, with any number of Stephanie McNay, Lyshae Barry, Kirsty Clark or Elly Randall viable options to shut down movement. Sinead Lumsden, Samantha Sylvester and Ella Quinlan will have their work cut out for them at the other end though, with Tayissa Coppinger and Georgia Bowkett tough battles.

Hawks Netball vs. Peninsula

Playing out at Oakleigh Recreation Centre, the Hawks will pursue a second win and could be in with a real chance against the cellar dwellers in Peninsula. While both sides are labouring toward the bottom-end of the ladder, they still boast some extremely talented players who can have a real impact, and should create an exciting and enticing contest given they are fairly evenly matched. While the Hawks should take out this one purely based on form, Peninsula will hope to really give them a run for their money.

Expect an interesting one here, with both sides boasting a key goal shooter and a playmaker out in goal attack. Whilst this seems to have been more successful for the Hawks so far, there is no reason why the Waves cannot put on the pressure here and switch up their attacking structure. Clare Vearing has been their key target boasting accuracy, as has Gabrielle Dwyer, however Dwyer’s volume could be up higher to really put on the offensive pressure the way the Hawks do, with Nat Billings holding down the goal shooter position and Tayla Shannon and Hannah Keane working the ball around her but also taking a chance to post. Sussu Liai has been a shining light for Peninsula with her intent and hunt on the ball, as has Jess Hosking although the duo could be challenged by the like of Alex Salter and Emma Allman, who work hard to provide that drive to propel ball into the circle. Defensively Lauren Hucker and Tara Cecil will look to apply all sorts of pressure, as Hawks’ Sally Deller and Chloe Sinclair look to do the same.

Geelong Cougars vs. Melbourne University Lightning 

Expect a huge battle here, as the fourth ranked Cougars take on the ladder leaders in Melbourne University. The Lightning are yet to drop a game and Cougars sit just within the top four, showcasing the calibre of the two sides in what is arguably one of the matches to watch this week. While the Cougars have not had an ideal start, there is no doubt they are one of the most dangerous sides in the competition boasting a 3-1-1 record and should not be underestimated by the Lightning in this one.

Both sides have no shortage of talent across all facets of their respective teams, with Geelong boasting a resurgent Madi Browne in recent weeks on return from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, and combining effortlessly with Vanessa Augustini and Kaitlyn Sheringham through the midcourt. They will take on the combination of Jordan Cransberg, Kelsie Rainbow and Shae Brown, showcasing just how much talent is at each teams disposal. Geelong’s goal circle boasts Julia Woolley and Zanna Woods with the duo sharing responsibilities last week to post, putting up 39 and 38 goals respectively, although the Lightning’s defensive unit of Fiona Fowler, Gabby Coffey and Maggie Caris will look to deny easy access to the post. Geelong’s Brooke Allan has been in scintillating form and rarely skips a beat, combining effortlessly with Victoria Honner, and will look to shut down Mikaela Vaughan and Claudia Mawson who have been impressive throughout the opening five rounds.

Ariels vs. Boroondara Express

For two teams boasting a 2-3 record for the season so far, this match could realistically be a do-or-die clash with one side left ailing alongside the lower-ranked sides as the other makes up the remainder of the mid-table logjam. Coming into this clash in sixth, Express will want to maintain the upper hand and make use of their ladder standing to remain just a win behind the Blaze. Meanwhile, the Ariels will want to step up and showcase the form they put out last round which pushed the Demons to the very end.

It is safe to say this matchup could see the battle of the goal shooter, with two highly adaptable and accurate goalers taking the court in that position for each side. For the Ariels, it is Rahni Samason who holds the mantle with speed, versatility, strength and volume to her name, able to adjust to her defender and read the play with ease. Boroondara boasts Uneeq Palavi, with the talented goaler strong on the hold with flair to boot, able to adjust within a split second and reel in the ball. Palavi’s partner in crime in Stephanie Gorrie has proved handy and will need to retain her intensity this week, while seasoned Ariels goaler Stacey Gannon provided a steady head to shoot 13 straight last round. Zali Anderson has become skilled feeding to Palavi backed up by Eleanor Leydin and Casey Adamson, while at the backend Tegan Stephenson, Michelle Massarany and Sophie Shoebridge work hard week in and week out. For the Ariels, watch for the efforts of livewire Monique Clarke, while Jayde Aron and Brodie Smith also prove crucial.

Casey Demons vs. City West Falcons

Casey hosts City West Falcons at MSAC in the second late fixture for the night, and is the second match that could have huge top four ladder repercussions, with the teams sitting 4-0-1 and 4-1-0 apiece. Casey’s one loss came against the Lightning seeing a narrow four-goal deficit, whilst Falcons drew with Cougars in Round 1 and have rarely been challenged since, bar a two-goal margin against the fired up Hawks two rounds ago. Expect a tight one with both sides boasting some classy players across the court.

Demons have no shortage of stars, and what allowed them the win last week was their ability to rally as a team to add onto the margin every time the Ariels got close. With a two-goal margin in place throughout multiple passages, the likes of Tayla Honey, Sharni Lambden and Karli Foster continuously worked in overdrive to extend their lead with Sacha McDonald firing on all cylinders and Emma Ryde standing tall at the post. That front-end combination will be the trick, with the Falcons back-end of Melissa Oloamanu and Zoe Davies required to be switched on from the get-go to ensure they remain in control of Ryde’s space and ability to score. The Falcons boast a scoring machine of their own in Jane Cook, with the tall timber accurate to post with silver service from Maggie Lind enabling her to constantly pile on the offensive pressure. Neither side has many shortcomings with plenty of experienced names across the court, making this two versus three battle one to watch.

Picture credit: Netball Victoria