NETBALL
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Injury-depleted Brindles showed why they can never be written off, with last Saturday's comeback win over Corrimal Cadets.
Missing almost half their squad, Brindles trailed for three-quarters before clawing their way back to snatch a 32-29 victory.
"It was a lucky win but we'll take it," coach Charlene Dallmer said.
"We were down the whole game and only picked up in the last quarter. The good thing was that we fought right to the end. We didn't give up."
Dallmer praised the efforts of mid-court trio Alissa Briggs, Kiri Stone and Sarah Goodman.
"They were the ones that held it together for us," she said.
Brindles boosted their record to 7-2 and are sharing second spot with SMJ after their 44-35 defeat of Dapto Storm.
Vipers (8-1) remained alone in top spot with a comfortable 46-28 triumph over Wests Titans, though Dallmer doesn't rank the competition leaders as outright title favourites.
"SMJ is probably our biggest challenge this year," she said.
"They're the ones that will be there in the end. They're having a really good year, especially for how young they are and the fact that it's their first big year in Premier League."
Were SMJ more of a threat than Vipers?
"Yeah, I think we'll probably find SMJ more of a challenge, because they have the ability to fight to the end and never give up," Dallmer said.
"That's going to hold them in good stead."
Brindles should chalk up their eighth win of the season against last-placed Woonona McDonald's this Saturday.
Woonona Maccas lost on forfeit last week to Woonona-Bulli RSL.
Dallmer believes team harmony is one of Brindles' greatest assets.
"We've got a lovely bunch of girls," she said.
"We're really lucky with the side we've got this year. There's good personalities on and off the court and it's a team with a great fighting spirit."
Dallmer expects to have players back from injury in the run to the finals.
"We've only got six players again this weekend, and that's been our big problem all season, struggling to field seven players each week," she said.
"We're not having good luck but we just have to work with what we've got each weekend and hope for the best.
"We're hoping after this week that we'll have eight or nine there each week."
PREMIER LEAGUE
(Round 10)
Saturday at Berkeley Stadium
SMJ v Corrimal RSL Cadets (1.30pm)
Wests Titans v Dapto Storm (1.30pm)
Brindles v Woonona McDonalds (3pm)
Vipers v Woonona WBRSL (3pm)