In-form South Coast Blaze under 23s prepare for Premier League showdown

Blaze under 23s captain Clare McCrohon is delighted with how her side have started their Premier League campaign. They sit on top of the conference B ladder.

McCrohon said her coach Regan Tweddle - who she also previously played under at UTS Sparks - deserved a lot of credit for the South Coast team's great form.

"I've been coached by Regan for a couple of years now and she's by the far the best coach I've ever had," McCrohon said.

"She's got a really unique style, she's a great coach and I think that's really evident through our performances. We're a tight bunch and we try to keep each other accountable. I think that's all thanks to Regan's coaching style.

"Everyone gets along in the team really well, we're all there to back each other up and pick each other up if anything goes wrong. It's a really great atmosphere. I think that comes down to Blaze and the type of franchise they are.

"I'm super proud of the girls, it's been a really successful start to the season."

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Three of the Blaze's wins have been decided by two goals or less, including a goal on the final whistle against Sutherland last week.

However, the Blaze are gearing up for their biggest challenge yet. They will face reigning premiers GWS Fury on Wednesday night.

It's a match situation that South Coast have prepared for regularly at training.

"The most pleasing thing is being able to see the fight the girls have put in and we have showed we won't give in until the final whistle. We've got that fighting aspect," McCrohon said.

"We've won two games late now. It's something that we've been working on at training, [focusing] on time constraints and not giving up until the last second. I think it's definitely helped us grow as a team and will only help us grow stronger in those tough games heading into the finals."

While the Blaze has enjoyed the perfect start, they are now preparing for their biggest test yet. The side will face reigning premiers GWS Fury on Wednesday night.

"GWS are always a tough team to come up against. We've looked at some of their previous matches and identified some key areas," McCrohon said.

"I think you can expect to see a fast and dynamic game. It will be important for us to have a good start and take control of the pace early on."

McCrohon was named as the Blaze's inaugural under 23s captain in July, forming their leadership group alongside vice-captains Emily Dunn and Jess Bowden.

It's a role that 21-year-old McCrohon is enjoying.

"Working with Jess and Em in the leadership team, I like to lead by example and I hope that I've been doing that quite well, on and off the court," she said.

"I'm having probably one of my happiest seasons. We're a really tight bunch, there's a really great atmosphere and I'm happy with the performances I've put in. But we've definitely got heaps of room for improvement and that's only a good thing."