Spirit star in doubt to face Fire

Richards strained her calf muscle at training on Thursday night and will be touch-and-go to face the Fire. 

Australian Pork Bendigo Spirit head coach Bernie Harrower said Richards will undergo a fitness test before the match to see if she can play. 

"She is doing everything can to be right for the match, but she won't play if she is not 100 per cent," he said. 

"She is constantly treating it, so we will just wait and see."

Harrower said he didn't want to run the risk of playing Richards and further injuring her calf. 

"You don't want to risk playing with injuries, especially when they are calf muscles," he said. 

"If she does play and then makes the injury worse, it will most likely mean she will miss four to five weeks and that is the last thing we need."

Harrower said despite the injury to Richards, his team was looking forward to another tough battle with Townsville. 

The Spirit and the Fire are 3-3 head-to-head over the past six matches. 

"It is always good playing Townsville," Harrower said. 

"We have built up a healthy rival between the two clubs, especially after the past two grand finals and I am sure they will be out to get us on Saturday.

The two top teams faced-off against each other in round of the WNBL season, with the Fire winning on their home court by just three points.

Harrower said he learnt some new things about the Fire in that opening match. 

"We got to see Cayla Francis play for the first time," he said. 

"Plus they have two six foot players on the team, so that makes it hard for any team to match-up against them. 

"But we have put a game plan together to tackle those players.

"It is all about group defence and having our energy levels up, like we have the past two games." 

Tip-off is at 7.30pm at the Bendigo Stadium.