AFLW Senior Coach David Lake is confident his team will surge over the finish line this weekend as the SUNS prepare to take on Geelong in the club’s final match of the 2021 season.
Both sides are winless heading into the Saturday afternoon clash which is sure to add a spark to what will certainly be a hotly contested match.
Lake said despite the results so far this season, the team was still as motivated as ever to break through for the elusive victory.
“It’s another opportunity and every week we turn up and have to take the lessons of the week before and try to turn it into performance,” Lake said.
“As a group I think we’re tracking pretty well – we’re objective in our views, measuring the small wins and looking for that day where it all comes together.
“Opponent doesn’t matter, opportunity is the thing that matters so we’re still chasing the finish line and having a crack.
“We’ve got one opportunity to play for our footy integrity and rest assured we’ll turn up chasing that.”
For what he admits is the first time since Round 1, the match committee will have a genuine selection dilemma on their hands as a bevy of SUNS return from injury.
“Tori Groves-Little is available for selection and Ellie Hampson has been made available for selection so that’s exciting,” Lake said.
“It’s Ellie’s first time for the season that she’s been made available and she’s a good character around our group.
“Tori Groves-Little seems to have found her mojo right at the halfway point of the season so they’re positives.”
The Round 9 AFLW match will also be a double header with the men’s first home game of the season as they prepare to take on North Melbourne.
Lake said it was a huge positive for the club to have both its male and female teams play in tandem in front of a home crowd.
“All the support they get, they love all that and that’s a big part of what they play for,” Lake said,
“It’s a great thing for the footy club, imagine if we could get out of these two opportunities two wins.
“It will be a good day if we can have a clean sweep.”
