OSBORNE defender Sally Hunter insists they haven't give up on stealing second spot from Wagga Tigers when they host their round one conquerors in a pivotal last round clash on Saturday.
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The Ostriches (3-2) have won their last three games after falling to the second-placed Tigers (4-1) and unbeaten Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes in the first two rounds.
Osborne would have to make up almost 33 percentage points to overtake the Tigers and seal a finals double chance, but Hunter said the priority is to try and secure a confidence-boosting win first.
They are riding a three-game winning streak after accounting for Leeton-Whitton 38-17 last week.
"First and foremost is getting that win to prove to ourselves we can beat them. If we get the lead we'll try and keep pushing through," Hunter said.
"We're hoping if we do work hard and get the jump on the Tigers this weekend we might get that second spot."
This round is the only week teams will enter it with their eyes wide open given it's the only chance to play a rival a second time in the six-round AFL Riverina competition.
The Tigers handed Hume League newcomers Osborne a tough initiation by piling on the first seven goals of the game in round one, before falling by the same margin.
"We're all looking forward to it because we had a shocker," Hunter said.
"They got to seven before we even got our first goal and we were looking at the scoreboard going what have we got into.
"We couldn't get that lead back because they're a quality side and if you let them get that far up early it's hard to peg it back."
Hunter hadn't played in the Hume League since 2016, but noted a faster style is prevalent in the Riverina League.
"Probably the pace of the game (is quicker)," she said.
"We've got a lot of skilled netballers in the Hume League, but the pace is different in the Riverina League.
"Everone's happy to have that chance to play some sort of sport. It's a short season, but everyone is super keen and committed."
Hunter played time as a shooter in the Crows win, but is hopeful she won't be needed there in finals.
"You'd be silly not to have contingency plans in place, but I definitely prefer defence," she said.
"We've got two unreal shooters (Caren Hugo and Nell Malmo) and hopefully they can carry us and I can stay down my end of the court."
In other round five results the Goannas beat Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong 66-23 and the Tigers defeated Turvey Park 70-15.
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