Hawks need to maintain four quarter effort, Saints the first to topple Roos

The Hawks held on to a two goal lead to end the day 37-35 winners, but coach Claudia Barton said there is plenty of learning to do after the game.

For the second week in a row Barton said the side fell into complacency and were punished for it.

Last week, they allowed Barellan to secure an eight goal turn around in the fourth quarter to take a one goal win.

And they nearly let history repeat this Saturday.

"I think if there had been any longer on the clock, they would have overcome us," Barton said.

"We just let them get that little bit of momentum and that was where we started to go wrong.

"All the teams within our league for A grade at teams that you can't take any game lightly, and I think we took our foot off the pedal a little bit, and that's when it all started to unravel.

"We were lucky that the clock ran down like it did, they're a tough side."

Hoping to train that out of her side sooner than later, Barton said they will be punished if they keep dropping late in the game against the top sides, including their next opponent Temora.

Despite the drop, she pleased overall with the side's performance, and how they adapted to changes across the court.

Barton said it is hard to predict how a change on court may impact the team's dynamic, and early in the season she is making changes constantly.

The introduction of rolling substitutes last season allows for players to move positions during play time, increasing the on-court changes available to coaches.

"In the first half of the season, the structure of a team changes so much, and one change can have a very, very dramatic impact, whereas another change might not be so dramatic," Barton said.

"For example we've been chucking Sharnie McLean, who is our start recruit centre court player, we've been putting her in the circle heaps because she's just so fast and to be able to move her around and have that dynamic capability there changes the defence for the other team so dramatically and I think while we have those changes, we need to utilise them, but I need to be cautious of what I chop and change because it can affect a game a lot.

"So I think figuring that out in the first half of this season is really important."

McLean was one of Barton's top players on the day, alongside Holly Nelson and returned defender Marrea Argus.

"Holly just always gives 110 per cent," Barton said.

"Marrea through the defence as well has been handy, she's got such long arms that come in great towards the end, she got two touches in that last quarter that if it had of reached their shooting end, they would have probably ended up scoring and winning, so I was pretty thankful to have her on the court in that last quarter."

North Wagga welcomed Temora to McPherson Oval for an early morning grand final rematch, with the hosts earning themselves some revenge.

A physical contest had players flying across the court, but the Saints found momentum early on to remain in front for most of the game.

Temora mounted a comeback in the fourth quarter but it was too little too late, and a fired up North Wagga were able to shut the visitors back down.

Moving from midcourt into the shooting ring, Tessa Hamblin barely missed, but admitted it was an adjustment to be getting goals again.

"It was tough switching back and then (Temora's) Jordan Barrett switching into defence as well made it tough, it's always hard playing on your mates, but it was good," Hamblin said.

"We needed some fresh legs and to change things up a little bit and it worked really well.

"Switching Ashley Nilsen into wing attack gave us a little bit more run down the court and it was good to work with Lily (Wild), I've played with her for a few years and it was good to be back."

Impressed with the team effort down the court, Hamblin said the defensive trio of Khayla Wild, Sarah Croker, and Sarah O'Leary kept her Saints in the game.

"I thought Khayla was fantastic in wing defence, she cut off so many loose balls," Hamblin said.

"Our defence was fantastic, both the Sarahs cut off heaps of balls and got heaps of rebounds early in the game, and that set us up for the rest of play."

North Wagga 45 d Temora 34

Barellan 44 d The Rock-Yerong Creek 38

Northern Jets 48 d Charles Sturt University 30

East Wagga-Kooringal 37 d Marrar 35

BYE: Coleambally