Despite losing talent to Suncorp Super Netball teams, the Queensland Firebirds and Sunshine Coast Lightning, as well as injury and pregnancy, the Cougars enter the second half of the season sitting third on the ladder.
Round eight, this Saturday night at Nissan Arena, pits the defending champions against the Gold Coast Titans, who in round three broke the Cougars’ outstanding winning streak with a 64-58 victory.
“I think it will probably be a fairly tough game with everyone making full commitment to the ball,” Cougars coach Liz White said.
“Each team will come out strongly, play their best netball and give it their best shot.”
The Titans are just one position above the Cougars on the ladder, in second, and will be without the shooting might of former New Zealand Silver Ferns superstar Cathrine Tuivaiti.
Also scheduled for a 6pm start at Nissan Arena, the Brisbane South Wildcats will be aiming to snare their second win of the season with another victory over round three victims, the Sunshine Coast Thunder.
“We beat them the last time we played them so it will be interesting,” Wildcats coach Megan Lynch said.
“We work on what we can control and do, execute what we can.”
“It’s the most open I’ve ever seen it,” Lynch said of the competition this year.
“It’s going to be about who can get the most consistency going I think. You never know what’s going to happen.”
The Thunder, running on fresh legs after coming off a round seven bye, will be desperate for a win to push into the top four.
Round eight wraps up this Sunday with the ladder-leading TAE Aerospace Ipswich Jets hosting the Bond University Bull Sharks at the YMCA Springfield Central Community Centre.
The last time these two sides met, in round three, the Jets recorded a mammoth 75-45 victory.
“We'll have a look and analyse that,” Jets coach Paula Stuart said.
“We’ll try to control their speed off the mark. We have to play with smarts and cover the space where they want to go.”
Stuart said the season to date has been hard to judge.
“We’ve had to really analyse other teams’ strengths and weaknesses to combat, when we’ve been down a few players,” she said.
“The Wildcats are probably the most improved, so I’ll be watching my back on them and they’re the bottom of the ladder so it makes a really interesting second half (of the season).”
Riding a wave of positivity after recording consecutive wins, the Carina Leagues Club Tigers are on another bye this weekend.
Tigers coach Jo Morgan has mixed feelings over the timing of the break.
“I would like another opportunity to have a crack at four quarters and start running with a consistent line,’ Morgan said
“But it also allows athletes to refresh in preparation for a huge second round of games. Using this time to reflect on individual performances and resetting of goals is paramount during this bye weekend.”
For a comprehensive draw and the HART Sapphire Series ladder, please click HERE.
