PANTHERS will be out to prove its worth as a Wagga A grade netball finals contender when the team plays Uranquinty at Equex Netball Centre on Saturday.
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Although currently third on the A grade table, Panthers has actually won only two games for the season, both against last-placed Shooting Stars.
In contrast, second-placed Uranquinty has a far superior record and is regarded as a likely grand final performer.
Heading into the last round of the regular season, Uranquinty has won all but the first game of the season against unbeaten New Kids Aces.
For Panthers, Saturday's game is a chance to show the team can be competitive in the finals, starting on Saturday week.
Significantly, Panthers would need to press Uranquinty for the points on Saturday to build some momentum for the finals.
Uranquinty and Panthers are both coming off wins last weekend, with the former making hard work hard of beating Turvey Park.
Key players Jemima Norbury and Sarah O'Leary were missing from the Uranquinty team, which showed its depth to post a winning score.
Norbury is again expected to miss Saturday's game, but there O'Leary is regarded as a chance of playing.
Olivia Tilyard and Josie Daniher, who more than held their own in the top grade against Turvey Park, will be chaffing at the bit to stay in the team.
With O'Leary likely to back in the mid court, shooters Olivia Lang and Paige Guthrie should get an ample feed and run out as winners.
Panthers will rely on good service from centre Bettina Goolagong, Simone Coote and Viv Murnane to get goals, while the experience of Kirsty Lowe at wing attack will help to give the team a shot at an upset.
New Kids Aces, meanwhile, should keeps its winning streak alive by downing Shooting Stars in the other A grade game on Saturday.
Shooting Stars has won only game this season, but was only beaten by 15 goals by Aces the first time they played in 2014.
Stars coach Amanda McLachlan is sure to make every effort to have the team try to cut the margin on Saturday.
Aces have strength all over the court, and their experience is unparalleled, but Stars will bank on young shooters Brooke Pembleton and Lily Wild, supported by Erin Brown, making the most of their opportunities.
