Victorian Fury coach Leesa Gallard is expecting a tough encounter when they take on the Queensland Fusion is round two of the Deakin University Australian Netball League (ANL).
A rematch of the 2017 semi-final, Gallard said the team will need to be ready for quality players across the court on the weekend.
“It will be tight, close and tough, and we’ve got to be ready to play and play hard,” Gallard said.
When they met in the semi-final last year is was a fierce contest, with nothing separating the two teams after four quarters, forcing the match into extra time.
A gruelling extra-time period saw the Fury eventual winners to progress to the grand final, 55-53.
The Queensland Fusion sit first on the ANL ladder, after winning both matches in round one against the Territory Storm, whilst the Fury sit fourth with one win and a loss from the first two games against the NNSW Waratahs.
Gallard said she was really pleased with how her team performed in the first game of the season, however consistency will be the focus moving forward.
“All teams in this year’s ANL are really strong so we are focussing on the consistency of our defensive pressure and being a physical presence out on court, and also focussing on having multiple options in our attack end and making good decisions with the ball.”
With the Fusion line up featuring former ANZ Championship talent Amy Sommerville and Chanel Gomes, Gallard said the Fury need to be prepared for quality opposition in all seven positions on court.
“We’ll need to make sure that those players, and all of the athletes on court for the Fusion, are made to work hard to receive the ball,” Gallard said.
“We’ve got to be ready to play against strong athletes from Fusion across the court. We know that any team we play in the ANL is quality and we need to be prepared for a really tough encounter”.
Round two action will take place at the State Netball & Hockey Centre on Saturday and Sunday.
