The 47-50 defeat at the hands of Ku-ring-gai on Thursday evening slammed shut any hope of defending their 2017 crown, but after a season based around the “rebuilding phase”, according to those in the engine room of the club, the series of ‘coin-flip’ matches cannot be viewed poorly.

While the club is currently locked in ninth place after the three goal deficit to Ku-ring-gai, shimmers of excitement still shine through for the fledgling roster, including their talented team of upcoming stars.

United’s campaign has seen the shooting combination of Abbie Gray and Katelyn Stansfield flourish, with goal percentages soaring across the season, while the squad’s mid-court players continued to provide the building blocks for success.

Finally, praise has been heaped on the young defensive circle United has brought to bear in their development phase in 2018, including Angela Williams, Veronica Smith and keeper Ebony Oakley.

United also had a disappointing outing for the Diamonds on Monday evening, as the development team were defeated 30-72 against ladder-leading Inner Western Suburbs.

Both squads will now look to end their seasons on high-notes with victories to round out the year, before eyes turn to off-season developments and movements in the Metro League.