The NSW Premier League opens grade is nearing the midway point of the season, where the 10-team table will be split into two two for the remainder of the 2022 competition. The top five sides will form conference A, while the rest go into conference B.

With that divide just one week away, the Blaze are currently teetering on the edge of either conference. The side sits in fourth place, but can all-but sew up a spot in conference A with victory against UTS Randwick.

Read more: Shellharbour's Foord extends stay with Arsenal

Abbey McFadden, who is part of Blaze opens team's leadership group, understands the importance of Wednesday night's clash.

"It's definitely going to be a tough match, they have a good team despite it not necessarily showing on the ladder [Sparks are in ninth spot]. And this game will set us up for the second half of the season," she said.

"Both of our teams have changed over the years, so it will be exciting to see those changes. But every single time, it's been a tough hit-out on court, so we know it's going to be a challenge for us. But we're ready for it and we're looking to get those two points.

"They have both experience and youth in their team, so they're physical and can read the plays well, but they've also got a mix of young ones who are really eager and just want to chase balls down. So we're going to have to be on our A-game and play controlled, and play our game to get that win."

Read more: Invaluable lessons for Wollongong rising stars

The Blaze head into the game on the back of a comprehensive 80-41 victory over the Capital Spirit. It was South Coast's fifth win of the campaign, and McFadden said their players were feeling confident.

"I think this is the best season we've had so far at Blaze, we just all seem to be clicking and gelling. And I think that's showing on court and on the ladder, being in the top four for pretty much the first time for the first half of the season," the wing attack said.

"That's really exciting for us and I think that's reflecting out on court, because we can see a semi-finals finish for us this year. We just want to maintain that positioning and hopefully make it all the way this year."

To read more stories, download the Illawarra Mercury news app in the Apple Store or Google Play.

Sign up for breaking news emails below.