Forget the finals: Julie Hoornweg

Article from: Herald sun By Rebecca Williams - July 03, 2009 12:00am

MELBOURNE Vixens coach Julie Hoornweg is urging her players to not get caught up in finals scenarios and to keep the focus on team targets tomorrow.

The second-placed Vixens meet bottom-placed Central Pulse in the last round of the season and need to win comfortably to secure a home semi-final.

The Vixens need to finish top of the table if they are to host the first final, but their percentage lags behind top-placed Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic.

While the clash against the Pulse at Hisense Arena looms as a chance to boost percentage, the Vixens' fate depends on Sunday's clash between the Thunderbirds and Magic.

Hoornweg will be in Adelaide to watch the match, hoping for a Thunderbirds victory.

But with the result of that game out of the Vixens' control, Hoornweg has told her players to focus on honing their game before the finals.

"We have absolutely no control over what is else happening. We just have to get out there and play quality netball and build a score that we're happy with," Hoornweg said.

"We have set our own targets. We know what we need to do to play quality netball and we'll leave the rest to itself.

"We need to have a good balance between defence and attack. Last week we felt for three quarters we got pretty close to both right, so this week we need to back that up."

The Vixens used last week's big win against Canterbury Tactix to give two of their bench players the chance for a run. Sarah Wall played the full game in wing attack and Kathleen Knott hit the court for the first time at goal shooter in the last quarter.

"We're about giving other athletes a chance out on court. They have worked hard all year and we need to test them out and give them an opportunity to play," Hoornweg said.

"We'll hopefully get someone out there that hasn't had much court time. Sarah did a very good job.

"She might get some more court time and Ashlee Howard might be another one.

"She played super netball against Mystics, so we would like to test her out again, which would be nice."

The Pulse has managed just one win all year, but Hoornweg has already underlined several opponents the Vixens would need to watch tomorrow.

"(Goal keeper) Althea Byfield is obviously a quality netballer. . . you can't put high balls in against her or she'll gobble them up," she said.

"Their little midcourter, Camilla Lees, she's an up-and-comer, so it will be a good test for whoever fronts up with her."
 

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