Warrnambool Mermaids prepare for 2021 Big V road trip to Mildura

Coach Lee Primmer, who is eyeing their six-hour trip to face Mildura Heat on Saturday night, said the Mermaids only went to the foul line 16 times compared to Melbourne University's 34 in their 10-point loss at the Arc on Saturday night.

Primmer said the foul count had been against his young side regularly this season.

"We've played 10 games now and I counted up our fouls as opposed to our opponents' fouls and we've committed 60 more fouls than our opposition," he said.

"There can be a number of reasons for that...do we do this well, do we not do that well?

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"A lot of the time when they hit our bodies we get moved quite a bit which from a visual point of view looks like we haven't been in the right position so they count fouls and the opposition teams probably take it (the ball) to the basket more than we do.

"It's probably because the younger ones don't take it to the basket as much because of the size of their bodies and so forth.

"It is definitely something we need to talk about because we're 3-7 (wins and losses) and could easily be 5-5. There were two more games we could have won and we were beaten because we committed 10 more fouls than the opposition."

Warrnambool had six points off the bench compared to Melbourne University's 15.

"We have haven't had great contributions off the bench all year but I think that has got a lot to do with your 14 year olds off the bench," Primmer said.

"Maybe I have to adjust my starters and bring a bit of punch off the bench. I probably could put somebody different in the starting five and maybe bring on one of the players who gives me some offence as a starter but also might give us just as much off the bench."

Primmer said work before the season would be crucial in the young players' development.

"You talk to the NBL teams, WNBL teams and great players and they all do the work that makes them great players in the off-season," he said.

The Mermaids will be without experienced pair Louise Brown and Amy Wormald against Mildura.

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