Panmure confident it can build a strong patch of form heading into Warrnambool and District league netball finals

The third-placed Bulldogs hold a comfortable six-point buffer ahead of South Rovers in fourth on the ladder and barring a major stumble in the final six rounds will earn a double-chance.

But Bulldogs mentor Kim Jamieson said the group was determined to hold onto third and build towards a strong and sustainable brand of finals netball.

"We'd need to win everything we've got from now (to finish top two), Nirranda will be a tough ask so the big thing for us for the remainder of the season is staying in third spot so we get the second chance in finals," she told The Standard.

"We're hoping to stick in third from now and unless something major happens we should be able to stay there.

"We need to keep fighting for it though - when we come up against Merrivale it'll be finals and we're not going to be able to do things we've done in recent weeks because we'll have all grades in finals."

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Jamieson said the bye had come at the perfect time for her group, confident it would spark the side heading into finals and generate a consistent run of form.

"For us the bye was a must have to be perfectly honest," she said.

"With injuries and soreness it was the break the girls needed.

"We didn't train last week after the Saturday game (against Merrivale) - we had a discussion and said we had injuries and soreness so we needed a good break.

"It is what it is, when your squads get a bit older and you have kids it does make a huge difference in recovery.

"But they've done their own fitness stuff (during the break) - most of them are at the gym which is good. The break away has been a really good thing for all the girls."

With a crunch clash against Russells Creek on Saturday - a side building momentum for a late-tilt at fifth position - Jamieson said the group would need to be at their best, acknowledging the Creekers were a different opponent to the one back in round four when they won 55-22.

"They'll be a tough challenge for sure," she said.

"Stace (Dunkley) has done a really good job with her group considering the amount of injuries they've had throughout this season.

"We may have one out at this stage but it depends on how they pull up Thursday after training.

"It'll be a tough game but we're looking forward to challenging ourselves."

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