Coach Gary Wilson believes if South Wallsend can sneak into the Herald Women’s Premier League finals they will be a championship force.
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There are two rounds left in the season proper but the Wolves have a bye in the last round and must beat Wallsend at Walker Fields on Sunday to be a chance of finishing fourth.
They also need Mid North Coast, who are one point ahead of the fifth-placed Wolves, to lose their remaining two matches.
“If we manage to get in, I think we’re a threat,” Wilson said.
“We’ve proven we can beat the top sides; we beat [third-placed] Adamstown, drew with [leaders] Warners Bay and beat [second-placed] Merewether.
“If we didn’t drop points against Thornton [last round] and Mid North Coast up there then we’d be right up there.”
South Wallsend have suffered from squad inconsistency due to work commitments this season and were without the likes of Stacey Day when they still managed to beat Merewether 3-1 in a rescheduled game on Wednesday night.
“That’s what we’re capable of,” Wilson said.
“When we’ve got the right players playing, we’ll beat anyone.”
Stacey Day and Georgia Amess both return after missing the United match.
Merewether were without several players, including goalkeeper Alison Logue, on Wednesday night but should welcome most back when they host Mid North Coast at Myamblah Oval on Sunday.
Adamstown play Thornton at Adamstown Oval.
Netball: It’s crunch time
Maryville Tavern will be fighting to stay in the race for fourth place in the Greater Open Championship when they take on Nova Thunder in round 12 on Saturday.
Fifth-placed Maryville have 26 points, one less than fourth-placed BNC Whanau, who take on Souths Pride, seventh, this weekend with three rounds left in the preliminary season.
Competition leaders West Leagues Balance take on third-placed Forsythes Business Advisors and second-placed Souths Lions play Junction Stella.
Leaguetag: Souths-Lakes showdown
Lakes United will be gunning for a return to the winners’ circle against Souths at Townson Oval on Sunday after sustaining two successive losses.
United have slipped from second place to fourth after losing 14-4 to unbeaten leaders Central then 16-8 to Wests Newcastle.
Souths won 14-6 when the two sides met in round four and meet Lakes after three big victories.
On Saturday, unbeaten leaders Central travel to Cessnock to play the Goannas and Maitland host Kurri Kurri.
Wests Newcastle are at home to Macquarie in the other game on Sunday.
It’s the Women In League round and all games will be played before the men’s first-grade matches.
From the games, 16 players, two from each district club, will be selected to participate in a high-performance leaguetag skills session conducted by the Rugby League Academy.
Rugby league: NSW out to defend title
North Newcastle’s Bec Young, Caitlin Moran and Isabelle Kelly will line up for NSW as they defend their women’s State of Origin title against Queensland in Wollongong on Sunday.
The Blues broke Queensland’s 16-year stranglehold of the interstate challenge last year when they won 8-4 on the Gold Coast.
It was the first time NSW had captured the title and Young said “there is no way we’re handing it back”.
The match is also the last chance players will have to state their case for inclusion in the Jillaroos squad for the Women’s World Cup this year.
The game will be televised live on FoxLeague from 11.30am.
AFL: Bulldogs out to firm up finals spot
Warners Bay will look to consolidate sixth place in Women’s Black Diamond AFL on Saturday when they host Lake Macquarie, ninth.
Bulldogs coach Tracy Baker will be asking for a stronger showing after Warners Bay didn’t score a goal in their 15.8 (98) to 0.4 (4) loss to Gosford last round.
Warners Bay hold a four-point buffer over nearest rivals Wyong Lakes, who travel to take on fourth-placed Maitland.
Newcastle Novas take on Muswellbrook, Killarney Vale play Gosford, Singleton are at home to Nelson Bay and unbeaten leaders Newcastle City meet Cardiff.
