Warrnambool's Isabella Baker believes her club has the potential to achieve big things this season but mustn't get ahead of itself in the remaining home-and-away games of the Hampden league campaign.
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The Blues are on track to play finals, sitting fifth, equal on points with fourth-placed North Warrnambool Eagles, with five games remaining. Sixth-placed Camperdown is two-wins adrift.
Every other team however, except for South Warrnambool, has six games left due to the Blues and Roosters holding their round 14 clash earlier in the year.
The Reid Oval-based club is in red-hot form, winning six of its past seven games - its only loss in that time a seven-goal defeat to second-placed Cobden on Saturday, June 13.
"We're tracking quite well," Baker told The Standard.
"Everyone's aiming to get that top spot but I think we're slowly starting to play better netball as a team and we might be able to cement third, second place or so to help with finals.
"We've got a rough run home with a few (tough) teams but hopefully we go alright."
Warrnambool takes on Camperdown on Saturday, July 17, in what is a crucial game for the Magpies' finals chances.
Baker, 20, who played her 100th Hampden league open-grade game in round 11, isn't underestimating the Magpies, who are the only team to topple the ladder-leading Roosters this year.
"We've just got to keep playing as a team, having our connections, it will be a tough game this weekend," she said.
"Camperdown, they pushed South and beat them so anything can happen, top-five is very close.
"We can't take any game as a guarantee or anything like that, we still have to work regardless of whoever we're playing, wherever they are on the ladder because everyone's pushing each other this year."
Baker believes her side can be successful come finals.
"I might be biased but I think we can go all the way of course," she said.
"Our game-plays and everything like that are really starting to work together. But yes I believe we can go all the way and I think everyone in my team can agree with that.
"We've just got to put that hard work in and the outcome will come."
Baker, in her second season with the Blues after crossing from Koroit, has loved her time at the club so far.
The dynamic goalie, who won an open flag with the Saints in 2019, is feeling "a lot more comfortable" in her second campaign.
She is enjoying life off the field too, working in disability after completing her study last year.
Matt Hughes
Matt is a sports journalist at The Standard.
Matt is a sports journalist at The Standard.
