With a three-game buffer in fifth place and finals seemingly assured, Newcomb coach Lisa Robinson doesn’t want to be making up the numbers this season.
Newcomb comfortably finished inside the top five last season, but was beaten by Torquay in the elimination final.
This time around, Robinson believes her team is better placed to make it past week one.
“The finals – we don’t want to just be there in that fifth spot – one week and we’re done,” she said.
“The girls…don’t want to be that side like they were last year where we just filled the spot and got knocked out first round of the finals.”
And there is compelling evidence that the Power could be a real smokey come September.
They knocked off third placed Torquay in round 2 and probably should have beaten the undefeated Ocean Grove in round 4, showing that Newcomb can match it with the best.
“It’s funny, we’re a side that probably doesn’t play overly well against the lower sides,” Robinson said.
“We actually step up and play really well against the sides above us. That’s why I always get quite nervous when we’ve still got Anglesea to go, who have improved, we’ve got Barwon Heads to go, who have improved.
“We dropped that game to Portarlington because we just didn’t bring it. We don’t bring it for those lower sides, but when we play those top sides, the girls bring it.”
Goaler Carly Sanders has never played better and Jessica Duke has been colossal at the other end of the court.
“We’ve got the luxury of Carly at one end, who is leading the goal scoring and we have Jess, who is the league best and fairest from last year, at both ends for us,” Robinson said.
They are great leaders in the club and great leaders on court. Not a lot of sides have that luxury of having two amazing players at both ends.”
Newcomb showed promising signs last Saturday against Drysdale to come from behind to win by four goals. The win gave Newcomb a three-game buffer over the Hawks.
“We treated it as a big game,” Robinson said.
“I spoke to the girls before the game and said it’s probably one of the biggest games of the season for us. If we drop it, then we’re under pressure. If we don’t, it allows us to breathe a little bit. So we were very pleased to get over the line.”
While Ocean Grove and Geelong Amateur are favourites to play off in a third consecutive grand final, Robinson said her side is flying under most pundits’ radar.
“We don’t get a lot when they mention the top four or five,” she said.
“They focus on Ammos and Ocean Grove and probably Torquay is getting a bit of emphasis now with Madi (Browne) coaching. I think we can match it with those top teams. So that’s probably fine by us to just cruise along and see what happens but we’ve been pretty consistent.”
After a general bye this weekend, Newcomb rounds off the home and away season with Queenscliff (4th), Ocean Grove (1st), Barwon Heads (8th), Anglesea (9th) and Geelong Amateur (2nd).
“We step on that court against Queenscliff next round really confident that we can give it a crack,” Robinson said.
“And the same with Ocean Grove again and the same with Ammos. The girls are looking forward to stepping up and really relishing playing both sides.”
