Thunderbirds Round 2 preview

[Dogwatcher]

Medibank Adelaide Thunderbirds set to excite the first home crowd of '07


The Medibank Adelaide Thunderbirds are looking to get their season back on track when they host the McDonald's Hunter Jaegers at ETSA Park this Friday night.

When sides last met the Newcastle based team defeated the Medibank Adelaide Thunderbirds 51-49. But the Adelaide girls hold a convincing 5-1 win record against the McDonald's Hunter Jaegers - and all five have been by 11 goals or more.

Medibank Adelaide Thunderbirds coach Tania Obst says the seven-goal loss to arch rivals the Sydney TAB Swifts last week was not the best way to get the season started but she and the players took a lot of positives from the game.

Obst says overall she was pleased with her side but felt it was execution that let them down at cruicial points in the game.

“We made some errors when we had opportunities to go on and get closer to the Swifts,” Obst says. “But we showed a lot of character to stay in there and we can take plenty out of that for the rest of the season,” she says.

Execution certainly showed in front of goal when national squad member Kristen Hughes - who was a regular 90 pc plus shooter in 2006 - only managed 9/21 at 43 pc in Sydney. Hughes is within reach of the 2600 goal mark in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy and in recent seasons has been considered one of the hottest hands in the competition.

The chances of her putting in another game like that are few and far between.

The Medibank Adelaide Thunderbirds are on a two-match losing run (last year’s grand final and last week’s game) and have only once before lost three consecutive matches.

Round two will also be a big night in the career of Obst herself when she makes her ETSA Park Commonwealth Bank Trophy coaching debut.

“I have to admit the first home game will be a little stressful but I have more to worry about than that – as a group we are very focused on getting the first win on the board and building from there,” Obst says.

“The Swifts in Sydney was always going to be a big ask to open the season and we know teams that travel to Adelaide view things the same way – we are very hard to beat on our home court,” she says.

Statistics certainly say Obst and her Medibank Adelaide Thunderbirds will win.

The Medibank Adelaide Thunderbirds have won nine of their ten round two matches since joining the Commonwealth Bank Trophy in 1997 while the McDonald’s Hunter Jaegers are yet to win a round two encounter since joining in 2004.

"Stats are good to know but wins are better and that's all we are worried about," Obst adds.

“We finished last week with a strong final quarter, outscoring Sydney, and we need to carry that form and aggression from the first centre pass on Friday night,” she says.

“This team has been grinding its way towards grand final success – third in 2005, second in 2006 and we only have to take that extra step this year to make it all worthwhile.

“As this is the last season of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy this is our last shot at getting it right so we are not giving that up without a strong fight.”