Mcmahon Tips Added Intensity To Last Season

Newcastle Herald

Wednesday April 25, 2007

GR

MELBOURNE Phoenix co-captain Sharelle McMahon says she expects the standard of the national netball league to hit a new high in its final year.

The Phoenix and Melbourne Kestrels open the season in a local derby Anzac Day clash tonight in Melbourne knowing they will be vying for spots as teammates next year.

After 10 years, the current competition will be replaced by a trans-Tasman league in 2008 featuring five Australian teams and five New Zealand teams and Victoria will have only one team in it.

McMahon, the Australian goal attack, said there would be an extra edge to competition as players from the current eight teams battled to win spots in the five new franchises.

"We are playing for our positions on the court next year, so it adds something a little bit extra," she said.

"It should bring the competition standard up, and that would be fantastic."

The Phoenix finished third last season behind the unbeaten Sydney Swifts.

But the Phoenix have won a record five titles and are determined to mark the end of the national competition with another premiership.

They have lost shooter Cynna Kydd (nee Neele), who shocked the team when she quit after just one season to play in New Zealand, but gained former England international Abby Sargent.

McMahon is likely to partner her or debutante Sophie O'Shea in the goal circle and admitted it would be difficult to start the season with another untried combination.

"We had three shooters retire last year and two the year before that, so this year the five shooters we've got on the list haven't played with each other," McMahon said.

"I played a quarter or two with Sophie in a trial match last year and with Abby in under 16s, but apart from that it's all very, very new combinations.

"It can be quite tough just because you're used to playing with people with different styles . . . it's basically just getting that time on the court to get used to how the other person plays."

The Phoenix also lost Australian defender Julie Prendergast, who switched to the Kestrels.

The Hunter Jaegers launch their campaign against Perth on Saturday in Grafton.

© 2007 Newcastle Herald

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