Devils ready to deliver
STAR Corio duo Bridgette Burns and Shayna Poto believe their A-grade side has what it takes to hold off powerhouse Werribee in today’s secondversus-third battle.
Since crossing over to the VIVA Energy Reserve early last year, the playmakers have resurrected the winless minnow of 2015 and 2016 to a genuine premiership contender.
The Devils stunned the competition last year when holding off Thomson 72 to 59, while this month they have already accounted for reigning finalists Bannockburn and North Geelong.
“I think Werribee is focused on the two team competition (Werribee and Thomson) when I don’t actually believe that will be the case this year,” Burns said.
“The top four is going to be real tight and separated by eight to 10 goals at the most.
“This year we’re on the progression point where we’re not going to be playing our best netball by Round 6; we’ll be playing our best netball by the finals.
“So I see an opportunity to play them (Werribee) twice this year as a great measuring tool because they’ll always be around the top three.
“Individually we can go toe to toe when playing one on one against them but for us we want to go through the structures with less work and more smarts.”
Burns made a gallant return from a wrist injury last week while Poto, who scored 16 goals in the first three quarters, would then sit out of the final term; a result of a heavy knock.
The New Zealand-born Poto finished equal seventh in last year’s Webb medal count yet will sacrifice any individual accolade in exchange for Corio’s first A-grade premiership since 2004.