Sting Make Mixed Start to ANL Season

The Western Sting split their first week of Australian Netball League (ANL) games last weekend, going down to the AIS on Saturday but bouncing back to beat the Territory Storm on Sunday.

The Sting fell 33-63 to an AIS team laden with some of the best young talent from around the country.

“The AIS is the benchmark of the competition,” said Sting coach Stacey Rosman.

“They’ve got the best 21U players all in the same team and they have been training together at the AIS. We were walking into an environment where we hadn’t played a full match together and we’ve had quite a short preparation.

“There were moments when we played well but the final execution of the play didn’t quite come off, but we’re working hard on that.”

However the WA contingent regrouped and took it up to the Storm from the moment they stepped out on court, winning 66-35.

“As much as it was disappointing to start the campaign off like that it was our ability to then turn it around in the second game that we focused on,” Rosman said.

“It was a great learning curve and we got all players out there for both games so we got an opportunity to look at combinations and we had four players in the team who had not played ANL before so it’s a new level, a new standard and new expectations.

“We stamped our authority on the game from the start. There was a good understanding and the players really backed each other.”

The Sting has a bye this week before facing a triple-header at Challenge Stadium on Friday July 19, Saturday, July 20 and Sunday, July 21.

The game on Friday night starts at 6.30pm, the Saturday game at 6.30pm and the Sunday game at 12pm.

Entry is free through Gate 3 at Challenge Stadium.

“The atmosphere on the way home and watching the girls interact with each other you could see the building of the team is happening,” said Rosman who is looking forward to the WA side showcasing its talent at home.

“They are getting to know one another and spending that time together travelling has enabled them to bond ahead of three games at home.”

-NetballWA