Battle to net finals
With just five rounds to play before the finals, jostling for position in the Cairns Netball Association is starting to heat up. Cairns Saints and Sharks are all but assured a spot in the top four — they lead the competition on 28 points — but the final two spots are well and truly up in the air. Leprechauns and CTB Bulldogs currently hold third and fourth place respectively, with South Cairns Cutters on the outside looking into the finals picture just two points outside fourth spot.
WITH just five rounds to play before the finals, jostling for position in the Cairns Netball Association is starting to heat up.Cairns Saints and Sharks are all but assured a spot in the top four – they lead the competition on 28 points – but the final two spots are well and truly up in the air.
Leprechauns and CTB Bulldogs currently hold third and fourth place respectively, with South Cairns Cutters on the outside looking into the finals picture just two points outside fourth spot.
Cutters tonight tackle Saints, who were beaten for the first time this season by Sharks last round, and coach Stacey Hart believes her team is finding form at the right time.
“We have come together nicely as a team in the midway point of the season,” Hart said.
“It looks like it is all coming together at the right time of the year, not just for us, but Bulldogs and Leprechauns have been playing well lately too.
“We have been having lots of close games recently.”
Hart said she would be looking for strong performances from Emma Lardner and Tracey Richardson tonight.
Sharks were perennial strugglers prior to 2017 but coach Jennie Kumar has got them at the head of the table with finals on the horizon.
“As a team we had a really good preseason and upped the ante from there and tried to build on that,” Kumar said.
“We have really focused on our fitness and skills.”
Meanwhile, Marlin Coast Netball will welcome Vicki Wilson, former Diamonds captain and prolific Australian goalshooter and former Australian and World Champion coach Jill McIntosh this Sunday from 9am at the Innisfail Netball complex in Innisfail.