SEEING as she has netted more than 400 goals in just seven games, you could understand why lining up against Merrivale's Narelle Welsh would be a daunting task for a defender.
It's the opposite for East Warrnambool though, with coach Katie Burt conceding her girls were eager to be assigned the job on the dominant shooter last Saturday.
"Everyone's ready to have a crack, which is fantastic,'' she said before the game. "She's a very strong player and is a great asset to Merrivale.''
The round eight encounter is shaping up as a blockbuster, with the competition's reigning premier and big improver both yet to drop a game.
The Tigers' lowest winning margin has been 16 goals against Dennington while East's has been 15 goals to both Dennington and Timboon Demons.
While Burt knew curbing Welsh's influence would be vital, the coach explained the focus for the Bombers was worrying about themselves.
"If we concentrate on our best attributes then we should be able to come up with a winning score,'' she said. "The girls are all quite confident.
"Hopefully it will be a tight, close match because there's a lot of people who are keen to come along and watch from what I've been told.''
ONE of Hampden League's young stars will be sidelined for at least six weeks. After having a bad back for 12 months, a trip to the osteopath saw Sophie Barr diagnosed with a suspected bulging disc in her lower back.
"It presses on my sciatic nerve and my legs start to hurt,'' the 18-year-old said.
The goaler abandoned her State League commitments with Ballarat Pride in early April and hasn't taken to the court with North Warrnambool Eagles following the round three match against Camperdown.
"(The osteopath) said I could play goal shooter for North ... but it gets aggravated really easily,'' Barr said. "Once it stops hurting, I'll wait six weeks (and then play).
"It's pretty hard because I'm used to having everything work around netball.
"But if I don't get it fixed ... in another 12 months I won't be playing at my best.''
When Barr - who believed her form had dropped off over the last year due to her injury - isn't playing, she'll be doing low intensity work in the pool, watching the Eagles and helping out at training.
Her side defeated Warrnambool by four goals on Saturday.
Jess Boyd was promoted from A1 to effectively combine with Laura Blackburn in the goal circle.
"After that big upset I don't think I want to come back because they played so well,'' Barr said.
WHEN it comes to post-match celebrations in the minor rounds, netballers are low-key.
There is one club in the south-west which is an exception to the above statement. It is of course, Deakin University, which proves you don't need to record a victory to celebrate.
The university's B grade team went down 56-2 to Old Collegians on Saturday. A first-year player featured in the best and got on her dancing shoes as she was forced to do the famous Shark shuffle to collect her award. It's an act which is common for the club when it comes to presentations.
COLA C and District Football League Netball Association lapped up Sharelle McMahon's visit to Apollo Bay as part of the Worksafe Game of the Month.
More than 80 guests listened to the Australian Diamonds captain at a luncheon after she conducted a junior clinic and before she was courtside for the Apollo Bay and Simpson senior match.
"It's always fantastic to visit some of our grass roots competitions and see how much netball means to communities in vastly different parts of Victoria,'' McMahon said.
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