North Ballarat City coach Annie McCartin is predicting a finals-like match when her A-grade team meets East Point for a second time this season in Ballarat Football Netball League competition.
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The teams previously met in round eight with North Ballarat City going down by three goals in a see-sawing encounter at Eastern Oval.
But North Ballarat City will boast a more settled lineup for Saturday’s second versus third clash at Mars Stadium, with Australian Netball League player Sacha McDonald and Victorian Netball League player Poppy Douglass both available. But Douglass’ Sovereigns teammate Madison Selmon will miss the game due to illness.
“It’s always a good match up and we’re looking forward to seeing how we are situated,” McCartin said.
But, despite disruption to her squad throughout the season, McCartin was pleased to be within the top four just as the team is approaching full strength.
“The couple we dropped were only by a few goals,” McCartin said. “So we’re really quite pleased and a little bit relieved to see where we are really sitting now… but we will have to be at our best to come away with the four points against East Point.”
Both teams are looking forward to the rivalry and getting bragging rights.
“We just have to play our own game,” McCartin said. “Sometimes you get caught up in the emotions of a game and you’re inclined to fall into the habit of playing into the other team’s hands. We play a certain brand of netball and if we stick to that I feel we will really be accountable for each other and we will be rewarded.”
