Whangara will find YMP tough

Tough game ahead: High School Old Girls’ Peyton Riri attempts to defend as Whangara Old Girls’ Ashley Osborne looks to pass the ball. Whangara Old Girls is matched up against YMP 1 in the only premier grade game being played tomorrow at 9am. Picture by Paul Rickard

YMP will make it tough for Whangara Old Girls when they clash in the only premier-grade netball game being played tomorrow.

Netball commentator Sherrill Beale said YMP had looked strong and had been working together as a team on attack and defence.

“Whangara Old Girls have had mixed results this year, but they started this round with a good win against higher-seeded F45 High School Old Girls,” she said.

“However, they will need to bring their top game for the full hour against YMP.”

Whangara coach Ronnie Martin said the new team this year had been slowly coming together.

“It’s been a bit of an uphill battle, but we scraped by to get into the premier grade,” she said.

“We had to work quite hard to find suitable players to step up into the top grade.”

Only one player in this season’s Whangara team was in last year’s side.

“Going on our result the last time we played YMP in grading, and got well beaten, we know we face an uphill battle against them tomorrow,” Martin said.

“It doesn’t put me off though, and the girls are in there for the fight.

“YMP are playing very well, and they have been from the beginning of the season.”

YMP coach Ingrid Brown said her team would not take Whangara lightly.

“In previous years we’ve always had good games against them.

“Our aim is to continue to build on our connections through the court.”

YMP were big winners over Whangara Old Girls in Round 1 grading.

“But playing the one-hour games adds another dimension,” Brown said.

The match starts at 9am.