Netball wrap: North Warrnambool coach Maddison Vardy to miss round seven, Cobden netballer Emily Finch dominating 2023 Hampden league competition at goal shooter

Vardy, who has a wedding to attend in Darwin, said reinforcements would return for the Eagles with Skye Billings (knee) and Tahni Porter (unavailable) likely to face the Roosters.

The Eagles take strong form into the top-five clash, having thumped Portland 71-25.

"Skye's knee has been playing up a little bit so she only played a quarter against Portland last week and she sat off for a full game yesterday and we were without Tahni, so to still get away with a 50-goal win was really good," Vardy said.

"We played Emily Saffin in goal attack for a full game and she was just outstanding.

"She is just so confident and she played really well with Vic (Grundy) and Matilda Sewell in goal keeper just keeps getting better and better each week which is so exciting.

"She is tall and physical and is really starting to use that. For a young player she has a really good head on her shoulders."

Meanwhile, a Cobden netballer is producing career-best form in attack as the side strives to win its first Hampden league premiership.

Emily Finch is anchoring the Bombers' offence.

"I think she's unlucky not to be recognised as one of the premier goal shooters in our league," Bombers coach Sophie Hinkley said.

"She has that really impressive holding game like lots of other people do but she can move and is very agile as well so we're very lucky and this year she's probably just stepped it up a notch.

"We've been trying to build a game plan that uses her strengths and highlights her dominance."

Emily drained 56 goals in Cobden's 78-29 rout of Portland on Saturday.

"I looked it up after the game and she's had lots over 50 goals," Hinkley said.

"I think she's only had two of the six games where she's shot less than 50 goals and shot 65 last week."

The experienced attacker is one of four options the Bombers have to run in the goal circle - there's her sister Jaymie, Molly Hutt and Hinkley too.

Jaymie, who has played a mixture of open and division one this season, is a paramedic and will miss the next two rounds with work commitments while Hinkley sat out against Portland.

Hutt is overcoming an ankle injury and has been playing in division one.

"It's been around managing people and also having different options," Hinkley said.

"I've played a lot of goals over the years and Jaymie has been super dominant but it just allows us to have a different option and not become predictable having the same people playing."

League best and fairest Nadine McNamara played in division one on Saturday, such is the Bombers' depth.

"I probably would've had 14 players that have played open or div one in the last two years to select from on the weekend," Hinkley said.

"Alicia Blain came back from injury and played a couple of quarters in div one and Molly has been playing goal shooter in div one recovering from an ankle injury."

Netball Victoria qualifying rules come into play after round 10.

From then on anyone who plays eight quarters in a higher grade can't drop back.

"Until round 10 when we do get stuck by qualifying rules, it's my opportunity to see everyone as best as I can," Hinkley said.

"I think the thing that will set us apart from other teams this year is that depth and versatility so I'd be mad to not be looking at our different options and identifying match-ups we can use and how we can highlight people's strengths against different opponents."

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