General News
30 April, 2021
Magpies effort pleases coach despite draw
IT is not often you walk away from a draw feeling like you have won but for Camperdown coach Brooke Richardson that was how she felt leaving Friendly Societies Park last Saturday.
IT is not often you walk away from a draw feeling like you have won but for Camperdown coach Brooke Richardson that was how she felt leaving Friendly Societies Park last Saturday.
The Magpies mentor was delighted with her side’s performance as it took it up to a side many have dubbed early favourites for this year’s open netball flag.
The pair drew the game 40 shots apiece, with neither team able to fully gain the upper hand during the contest.
Post-game Richardson was one happy coach.
“I was very happy with the result,” she said.
“I think after the game it felt like we had won.
“I know for sure South is going to be a top two team so it was going to be a challenge for us to see where we are but I was super happy with the result.”
In a see-sawing affair, South held a two goal lead at quarter time before the Magpies fought back to lead by four at the main change.
South regathered itself in the third term and hit the front once again, opening up a three goal buffer entering the final term.
Similar to its second quarter, the Magpies lifted once again in the last stanza, edging back the deficit to draw the contest before both sides ran out of time to push clear.
It was a fitting end to an exciting game neither side had total control of, according to Richardson.
“It too’d and froed – it never really got out more than three or four goals either way I think,” she said
“It was a physical contest, both ends shot really well and there was really good defensive pressure from both sides.
“We knew we just had to take it 15 minutes at a time.
“If we were going to win we had to break it up into one quarter at a time to put ourselves in the best position to win heading into the last quarter.”
Richardson said the result as well as the Magpies performance would instil more confidence within her players that it could match the competition’s best.
“I hope it cements the belief for us, more so as indiviuals,” she said.
“No matter who we take on, we know we will have the support around each other to do that (believe in ourselves) because every week is going to be that hard.
“It’ll be the same this week against North, so it’s a good challenge for us to see if we can bring the same intensity and effort from last week’s game into this week.”
Richardson is expecting North to again be tough to overcome despite the Eagles enduring a winless start to the season.
The two sides enjoyed three close battles in 2019, with the Magpies having the last laugh in the elimination final that season.
“They have said they are rebuilding but they still have quality players and they know how to win,” Richardson said.
“But we just need to bring that same intensity from last week.
“There’s a few things to work on Thursday night (last night) so we need to be ready for another tough game.”