Tara Murray
The City West Falcons were put to the test on Wednesday night in the Victorian Netball League championship.
The ladder leading Falcons struggled to break away from a determined Hawks side but eventually came away with a 64-52 win.
Falcons coach Marg Lind said the Hawks were a side that always really tested them.
“It took a while until the last quarter to get a bit of a difference,” she said.
“The Hawks are really aggressive and give us a good run. We have always struggled against them in the past.
“You get under pressure and be challenged.
Lind said they took a while to settle without Maggie Lind, who missed the game with a calf strain.
She said it took Maddy Gray and Soli Ropati a couple of quarters to settle without Lind playing.
Marg Lind said it was good though to show a bit more versatility and to get some more minutes into Ropati, who is returning from injury.
Jane Cook shot 60 of the Falcons goals, continuing her good solid form of the last month.
Lind was also happy with the performance of Sienna Allen on Kaylia Stanton.
“Kaylia is really experienced,” Lind said. “It was an awesome battle and Sienna really settled into the role.”
Lind kept her circle defenders the same all game for one of the first times this season, wanting some height in the circle.
At the other end, it was a small fast attacking outfit that worked better.
“We played pretty much similar down the ends,” she said.
“We didn’t play Uneeq [Palavi] as much as we felt like the smaller attacking end with Jane at the back was working.
“It was hard to change things with the game being close.”
Lind said they needed a game like that having had a number of big wins in recent weeks
The Falcons under-19s had a big win after a 17-3 first quarter, while the division 1 side had a draw.
Lind said all three teams were in a really good position.
In the championship division, the Falcons now sit two games clear on top after the Boroondara Express suffered a loss.
“We have a bit of breathing space, but Melbourne University is making a huge challenge, Casey is making a huge challenge and the Blaze is coming hard,” Lind said.
“We have to play all three in the run home.”
The Falcons next game is against the Peninsula Waves on June 25. Lind said that Maggie Lind would likely return for that game.
Meanwhile, three Falcons players have been named in the Tongan squad for the upcoming World cup.
Uneeq and Beyonce Palavi, and Lucia Fauonuku have been named in a 15 player squad.
