SWAN Hill will go into their must-win encounter against Tooleybuc-Manangatang on Saturday without two of their most important and experienced players.
Defender Mollie Quin and centre Karli McIntyre will miss this weekend’s clash against the Saints, with both clubs’ finals chances hinging on the result of the highly anticipated clash.
Both the fifth placed Saints and seventh placed Swans are separated by percentage only on the Central Murray A Grade ladder and with a difficult run home for both clubs, only a win will suffice, according to Tooleybuc-Manangatang coach Mel Wait.
“We’ve pegged this game as one where we really need to get over the line,” Wait told The Guardian this week.
“We’ve made a lot of progress since our last game against them earlier in the season, but you can never underestimate Swan Hill, they have such a strong culture and they know how to fight and scrap out a win.
“Casey Frame is such a good player and that goal ring with her and Kelly Bonney in it is such an experienced and dangerous goal circle.
“They’ve been getting close to winning against those good teams, as we have too, but it will be a really interesting game.
“I think we match up well with them one-on-one but it will still be a tough contest.”
If their last encounter back in round 5 is any guide, then spectators of both clubs can expect a hard-fought and close battle.
Swan Hill prevailed by just one goal that game, although it won’t just be Quin and McIntyre-less Swan Hill that will take on a different look on Saturday, with Tooleybuc-Manangatang losing Jayda Plant (ankle) and Amy Standen (calf) to injury in the second quarter.
Although Standen has missed a large portion of the season through injury, Plant has been integral to the Saints’ climb up the ladder, along with goal shooter Zoe Morris, who is another new inclusion since that round 5 meeting.
Morris will line up against her former side for the first time on Saturday and will be one of the players to watch for Swan Hill coach Casey Frame, who is acutely aware of how dominant she can be, having been Morris’s partner in crime in the Swans’ goal circle during last year’s grand final.
“You’ll never be able to completely nullify a tall goalie that knows how to hold their body well like Zoe does,” Frame said.
“She is amazing at that aspect of the game and she’s also a very good shooter as well in that when she’s on target, they don’t miss.
“It will all come down to our midcourt pressure and trying to make their delivery into her as hard and difficult as possible which will help our defenders maybe pick off a couple of balls here and there.
“The pressure needs to come from our mids and wing attack and goal attack to try and pressure them up the court because it will be hard work for our defenders if we let them send good delivery into their ring relentlessly.
“Even without Karli and Mollie, we still feel we have a good mix through the midcourt with plenty of experience with the likes of Hayley (Neuschafer) and Kelly Bonney who could also play through there.”
While the Swans will need to throw their team around to see where their players best fit in the absence of their experienced centre and goal defender, it is expected that Frame will start on the court in the goal circle.
Frame’s presence will free up one of Bonney or Ava Seymour to move into the midcourt to partner Neuschafer and young gun Miela Roberts, who will most likely have Standen and Emma Templeton for company.
Tooleybuc-Manangatang strength is undoubtedly at either end of the court, with Zoe Morris and Summer Blachford in the goal circle and Olivia Fowler and Taylah Morris in defence, and if they can match it with Swan Hill in the midcourt, then the Saints should be marching in come full-time.
Tip – Tooleybuc-Manangatang to win by four goals.
