Tara Murray
The City West Falcons continued on their winning ways, while two of their stars made their Suncorp Super Netball debuts on the weekend.
The Falcons kept their winning streak intact in the Victorian Netball League championship on Wednesday night beating the Geelong Cougars, 72-55, despite missing some key players.
Coach Marg Lind said they had to rely on their starters for large minutes to get the win.
“We didn’t have Pav [Uneeq Palavi], we didn’t have Lucia [Fauonuku] and we didn’t have Mel [Oloamanu],” she said.
“I thought we were good, we ran the starting seven for most of the game. Chels [Chelsea Imanisani] then came on to rest Mon [Holmes].
“We got her off in the last and changed the two goal attacks over, which was good.”
Lind said she thought they were able to build across the game.
She said Jane Cook started to find a better angle on the hold and we were able to isolate her a bit better.
“I thought Maggie {Lind] and Mon were a lot more patient as the game wore on, that certainly helped,” she said.
“I thought our defence was strong and our attack end is defending really strong and we’re getting turnover on the transverse line with Olivia [Cameron] and Maggie.
“Olivia has added a dogged defensive attitude and she has been good.”
Lind said the decision to add Cameron to the squad late in the mix was vital, with Shimona Jok having played too many quarters to return to the Falcons and Palavi set to be in Sydney for a few weeks.
The win keeps the Falcons’ three games clear at the top of the table, something Lind said was vital with players missing.
“We have a bit of a tight run with Wednesday, Sunday, Wednesday,” she said. “That will test us and we have to make sure we’re well rested and everyone is in place.”
Oloamanu is set to return this week, while Fauonuku could miss again while they get her right after an injury.
The Falcons under-23s also came away with a good win, beating the Cougars, 58-49.
Lind said they had started to clean up their errors and were really starting to get going.
The Falcons now sit in fourth spot, three games clear of the Cougars in fifth.
The Falcons play bottom side Peninsula Waves on Wednesday night before backing it up on Sunday against the North East Blaze.
Falcons fans had one eye on the Suncorp Super Netball competition on the weekend with Holmes and Palavi both getting call ups.
Holmes, who has sat on the bench for the Melbourne Mavericks and Collingwood previously, got her first minutes on Saturday, playing in the second half.
Palavi, who was a training partner for the Mavericks, was called up as a replacement player for the NSW Swifts.
She shot 18 goals from 19 attempts in normal time, while also hit three super shots.
