PORT Fairy and Koroit have shared a healthy rivalry for years, and Saturday’s match-up will be no different.
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Saints mid-courter Emily Rose Finnigan said they had enjoyed a great start to the year.
“We’re about three games clear on top at the moment,” she said.
“In saying that, it’s still a close competition. Port Fairy have improved a lot. I think it will be a completely different game to when we played them at the start of the year.”
Seagulls netballer Nicole Dwyer, who missed the first game against the Saints, said they were the team to beat.
“I know they have added a number of handy players to their list,” she said.
“In saying that they are a bit unknown to myself, but I do know a lot about the players that have joined their group from last year.
“Their strengths are definitely their two bookends – that being Jess O’Connor and Nell Mitchell. Everyone else in between are strong players too.”
Dwyer said there was a definite town versus town rivalry.
“There’s a lot of rivalry between the two clubs and there has been for years,” she said.
“It’s a long-running thing. There has been a lot of good hit-outs over the years in footy and netball.
“There’s a lot of passionate locals from each club who are vocal.”
She said Port Fairy had a full line-up going into the clash after having last weekend off due to a Hampden league bye.
“It was good to have that week off,” she said.
“We had a slow start on the back of whatever people were saying about a premiership hangover.
“We lost five in a row which wasn’t a good start compared to how we finished last year.
“We have a new-look team as well.
“We can’t really compare last year’s team to this year’s. We have a lot of different faces.”
The mid-court player said after having lost five games in a row, Port Fairy had rallied, and went on to win five in a row.
“We’re crawling back from the bottom and we are halfway up,” Dwyer said.
“It’s going to be a tough game against Koroit.
“Obviously they are sitting up there undefeated, but they are getting chased.
“I’d prefer to be the chaser instead of being the sitting duck.
“It’s always a really physical, hard fought out game against Koroit, so we will see how it goes.
“There will be some good match-ups.
“I guess it depends how Koroit play and how we do.
“Both teams will have a few tricks up their sleeve.”
Koroit will host the Seagulls for the round 12 match at Victoria Park.