Stirring finals contenders Collingwood Magpies have talked up cliches of sticking to the processes and taking one week at a time to secure a Super Netball top four spot.
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But club captain Madi Robinson has finally burst the bubble to admit the club’s encounter against finals rival Queensland Firebirds at the Silverdome on Sunday could shape their playoff chances.
“It is a four-point game,” Robinson said.
“Obviously, we’re sitting just slightly above the Firebirds at the moment.
“Every game for us for the remainder of the season is now really crucial – so the cliche of taking it one week at a time applies.
“But obviously against them because they’re fighting for fourth spot as well it is even more crucial.”
The Queenslanders trail by a solitary point courtesy of an opening-round draw against state foes Sunshine Coast Lightning.
Melbourne Vixens, the Lightning and Giants are battling it out for the top-two double chance, while bottom three sides West Coast Fever, NSW Swifts and Adelaide Thunderbirds trail the Pies by three wins and are condemned to miss the finals entering the last five rounds.
Collingwood had knocked the Giants off their top spot last Sunday in a 59-56 win to string consecutive wins and announce the side towards their predicted potential.
“We know now we can secure that fourth spot after the inconsistency we have shown in the first half (of the season at 3-4 win/loss record),” Robinson said.
“But I think it’s a big confidence booster to build those wins for us as well.
“It’s the first time in our club’s history – only been small (history) as a netball club, but it was still the first time last week we had two wins in a row.
“So we now need to make sure we’re consolidating.”
Robinson said that ladder positions aside, Collingwood have been quite diligent in scouting its rival’s game.
The last-ever ANZ championship winners were the Magpies’ first of their five wins 54-50 back in round two.
“They’ve such strong shooting power and their defence end, although it might be very young, they’re definitely starting to grow and build their combinations,” she said.
“It’ll be a tough match and we know we have to be on our A game to win.”
But Robinson believes playing in Launceston on the pristine Silverdome court that many of her Diamonds teammates ran out in last October’s Constellation Cup test is a distinct advantage.
“We’ve been here for a few days, we’re familiar with the place, we’ve done our walk through and we know where everything is, we’ve had a good training session tonight,” she said.
“The facilities here are great and it actually feels like a home court for us.”