CASTERTON Sandford will showcase its new courts in its first home game of the 2018 Western Border netball season against South Gambier in the split round this weekend.
Both the Cats and the Demons are without a win and as a result will put it all on the line tomorrow in hope of a breakthrough victory.
Both sides have had a disrupted start to the season with player unavailability and Casterton Sandford again face that issue tomorrow with Madalene Cleary unavailable, after being in the Cats best the past two games.
South welcomes back Tilah Buckingham although predicting a starting line-up is tough, with the Demons trialling a few different combinations in the opening rounds of the season.
Georgia Hood has been outstanding in the shooting circle in recent weeks, while Tori McIntyre has also found her own.
The Cats have also experimented, especially in the shooting circle, with Eva Chandler, Tori Perry, and, at the weekend, Renae Newell, sharing the role.
Abbey Shannon will be a key factor in Casterton Sandford having a chance at the points.
The Cats circle defender creates plenty of turnover ball and will make her opponent, whether it be Hood or Imogen Walker, work hard for every possession.
With Cleary missing, Tayla Guthrie again looms as the most likely defensive partner for Shannon and will be hard to out-rebound.
The mid court sees the hard working Gaby Tomkins up against South coach Lauren Duncan and that will be a pivotal duel, while Ellen Bowman always flies under the radar on the defensive wing but so often manages to cut her opponent out of the contest.
Alyssa Boylan will look to have an impact in the defensive circle and is also a key link for the Demons.
If Cleary was playing, the Cats would enter the clash warm favourites, but her absence robs the home side of experience and versatility and the Demons – if they can minimise their ball handling errors – will secure victory.
