Rovers can’t underestimate Hoppers

There are some enticing matches, including a top of the ladder clash in the under-17s netball and second versus third in the under-14s football and under-15s netball.

Every match is important, with the home and away season about to end.

Seniors football coach Alex Hay was rapt with last week’s result, but is well aware there is more to focus on.

“We went into the game wanting to play with energy, maintain our pressure around the contest and move the ball with purpose, and I thought we did that for the majority of the day.

“It was good to be able to back up a positive performance from the weekend before against Strathmerton and build towards the back end of the year.

“The most encouraging part was that we shared the workload and had contributions across every line.

“I thought our backline was particularly impressive, with the way we were able to win the ball back, steady with some composure and attack through the middle of the ground.

“There are still areas we can improve, particularly maintaining our standards for the full four quarters, but overall, it was another positive step forward for the group.”

Rennie is 14th on the ladder with only two wins this season, but Hay said the team will prepare for a scrap.

“We are expecting another difficult contest.

“Rennie are always competitive on their home ground, particularly with their contested and physical brand of football.

“I think they are a lot better than their win:loss record suggests.

“In the last month they haven't been scored heavily against, which would suggest that defensively they have been pretty strong.

“We will have to be up for the challenge. We certainly will not be taking them lightly.

“Our focus will be on starting well, bringing strong pressure around the football and playing the game on our terms.

“We have worked hard to build some momentum, and it is important that we continue to maintain the standards we have set for ourselves.”

The team require a win to hold on to their top eight spot, but are still looking to develop before the end of the season.

“At this stage, we expect the side to remain fairly settled, although we still have a few players to get through training before making any final decisions.

“The priority is always to win the game in front of us, but we also understand that we need to keep improving if we want to finish the season strongly.

“Those two things are not separate.

“The best way to win is to continue developing the way we want to play.

“We want to become more consistent across four quarters, continue strengthening our pressure and team defence, and improve the connection between our midfield and forwards.

“We are not looking too far ahead, but every game is an opportunity to reinforce our system and prepare ourselves for the challenges that are still to come.”