Tara Murray
An understrength City West Falcons were still able to find a way to overcome the Bendigo Strikers in the Victorian Netball League championship on Wednesday night.
The Falcons entered the clash without Uneeq Palavi, Lucia Fauonuku and Mel Oloamanu who are all away playing at the Pacific Netball Series.
Despite that, the Falcons had enough depth to beat the Strikers, 71-52, to record their 13th win in a row.
Falcons coach Marg Lind said the side did pretty well despite missing three key players.
“They actually stayed with us last time for a bit too, so we anticipated that,” she said.
“I thought we had some good impact players tonight [Wednesday] when it really counted.
“Liv Cameron came on and was really good. A good change up as I think they struggled with a smaller goaler.”
Lind said the Strikers covered having two tall goalers really well, but once they brought Cameron on and minimised their errors into the circle they were able to get out to a lead.
Lind said it was good to give Genna Ogier the opportunity to start the game.
“She deserved it,” she said. “She’s a great club person.
“She’s a player that is developing nicely and she’s come from basketball so it’s going to take a bit of time.
“We put her back on to the end in the last quarter in shooter, which she did really well in.
“She’s pretty comfortable there and she played with Liv out the front, so that was good.”
Lind said defensively they didn’t have many options with two defenders missing.
They had Achel Yout on the bench, but they didn’t want to use her if they didn’t have to with an important under-23 match to be played as well.
“We did think of putting Achel on Milly [Brock] but they then took Milly off and it played right into our hands.”
Jane Cook shot 42 goals for the Falcons.
Cameron finished with 22 goals with Lind saying she was clearly their best on court.
With Shimona Jok unlikely to play for the Falcons again this season due to playing Suncorp Super Netball, Cameron would be an important player going forward.
“It will be good to have another goaling option, so far so good.”
The Falcons now sit 10 points clear at the top of the ladder, with Boroondara Express suffering a third straight loss.
The Falcons under-23s also had a good win, beating the Strikers
“They got off to a good start,” she said. “Everyone got on and got some court time.”
Elisa Butterworth-Gonebale came up from under-19s with Beyonce Palavi missing at the Pacific Netball Series, while Isabelle Grapsas missed with an injured ankle.
It gave the Falcons an opportunity to give Matilda McIntyre a bit of a run.
“She’s doing quite well in the 19s,” Lind said of McIntyre. “It’s good to see how some of the young ones go and see what they can do.
“We’ve got two really good 19s teams. I think there’s a lot of potential there, it’s probably time when we get an opportunity to give them a run.”
The Falcons sit in fourth, eight points clear of fifth.
The Falcons this week face the Geelong Cougars.
