Rookies and Steelers will each look to establish an important mental edge for the upcoming finals series when they clash in Friday night’s round of division 1 matches in the Eastern Goldfields Netball Association.
Friday night’s match-up of the division’s top-two is a likely dress rehearsal of the second semifinal on August 25 that carries a double-chance.
With just two rounds of qualifiers left, Rookies lead the way with 10 wins, one clear of Steelers.
In head-to-head matches this season, the honours are split at a game apiece, with Rookies successful by 11 goals in round four.
Steelers, however, turned the tables in round nine with a 56-42 victory.
Also on Friday night, Sonix 1 will be favoured against last-placed NVUS 1 and Mana 1 and Imperials do battle in a clash of the division’s fourth and fifth-ranked teams.
In last weekend’s round, Steelers beat NVUS 1, 73-25, and Sonix 1 and Rookies enjoyed 54-40 and 49-39 wins over Imperials and Mana 1, respectively.
Steelers enter round 14 in pursuit of a fourth consecutive win after two of their earlier three defeats were in back-to-back rounds.
Results:
Division 1:
Steelers d NVUS 1 73-25; Sonix 1 d Imperials 54-40; Rookies v Mana 1 49-39.
Division 2:
Steelers d Mana 2 43-38; Sonix 2 d Sapphires 1 53-32.
Division 3:
Imperials 3 d Rookies 52-40; Sonix 3 d Flyers 1 44-34; NVUS 2 d Mana 3 38-36.
Division 4:
Steelers d Rookies 60-13; Sonix 4 d Mana 4 58-26; Sapphires 2 d Flyers 2 57-31.
Ladders:
Division 1:
Rookies 20 points; Steelers 18; Sonix 1 12; Mana 1 12; Imperials 8; NVUS 1 4.
Division 2:
Sonix 2 12 points; Steelers 12 points; Mana 2 8; Sapphires 1 4; Imperials 2 0.
Division 3:
Sonix 3 18 points; Flyers 1 14; Mana 3 10; Imperials 3 6; NVUS 2 4; Rookies 2.
Division 4:
Steelers 14 points; Sonix 4 12; Flyers 2 12; Sapphires 12; Mana 4 4; Rookies 0.