Team takes train to rest ahead of double header Steelcats on the rails

THE Magnetic North Steelcats had to think outside the square ahead of their most demanding double- header of the season, and the answer may have come by chance.

The Steelcats play Marlin Coast Marlins and then Wide Bay Thundercats within the space of five hours in Rock- hampton tomorrow, without doubt the toughest piece of scheduling the Steelcats will endure in this year’s Queensland State Netball League Country division.

They head into tomorrow’s double- header on top of the league table after last weekend’s back to back wins over Wide Bay and Capricorn in Mackay, but Steelcats coach Sue Warmington knows rest and recovery, not recent form, will likely prove decisive.

With that in mind, Warmington sought ways to give her players the best travel possible.

“We normally take a bus, but for this amount of travel they don’t provide a great deal of room,” she said.

“The flight times to and from Rockhampton weren’t in our favour, so we had to look at something else and that’s way we’ve gone with taking the train on Friday evening.

“They’ll have a bit more room to move around, stretch and things like that.

“So we’ll arrive in Rockhampton Saturday morning, have a bit of downtime, pre- pare and Coast.”

The Steelcats play Marlin Coast at 2pm and Wide Bay at 7pm.

Warmington will be without co- captain Zoe Carr but is set to hand an opportunity to training partner Jessica Carey.

“Jess is 16 so she’s a youngster, but she won’t miss a beat because she’s been training with us all season.

“She’s an up and coming talent from Ingham and we’re very excited to give her a run either against Marlin Coast or then play Marlin Wide Bay.” On paper it appears Marlin Coast will give the Steelcats a tougher challenge, with the Steelcats scoring hard fought 44- 42 and 35- 21 wins over the Cairnsbased side in March.

Despite those results Warmington said Wide Bay also deserved respect.

“We’ll need to settle into our game plan pretty quickly, work together and capitalise on turnovers,” she said.

“But the girls have the belief they can play well and win well.”