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LODDON Valley league A Grade netball mid-season review:
1st - BRIDGEWATER
Record - 8-0
Percentage - 163.0%
Average for - 52
Average against - 32
Attack rank - 5th
Defence rank - 1st
Highest score - 68
Lowest score - 41
Won the premiership last season and well on track to go back-to-back.
The Mean Machine sits two games clear at the top of the ladder as the competition's only unbeaten side and are stifling their opposition defensively.
Conceding an average of just 32 goals per game - the next best defensive team, Mitiamo, is a distant second at an average of 40 goals against a game.
Have won 22 of their past 26 games since their elimination final exit of 2017.
Standout - Zoe Davies.
2nd - NEWBRIDGE
Record - 6-2
Percentage - 133.2%
Average for - 56
Average against - 42
Attack rank - 2nd
Defence rank - 3rd
Highest score - 79
Lowest score - 40
After bowing out in the first week of the finals last year the Maroons are hungry for a deeper push into the business end this season and are laying the groundwork, sitting second.
Have come up short though in both games against fellow top three sides Bridgewater (lost by 6) and Mitiamo (lost by 9).
Produced the competition's highest score of the season last week in their 79-29 win over Pyramid Hill.
Massive game coming up on Saturday against a fellow top three aspirant in Calivil United.
Standout - Alyssa Cole.
3rd - MITIAMO
Record - 6-2
Percentage - 131.8%
Average for - 53
Average against - 40
Attack rank - 4th
Defence rank - 2nd
Highest score - 65
Lowest score - 27
No doubt plenty to prove after last year's straight sets finals exit having finished on top of the ladder.
The Superoos have spent all the first half of the season entrenched in the top three after winning their opening four games.
Defending well having only conceded one score above 50 so far.
Standout - Laura Hicks.
4th - CALIVIL UNITED
Record - 5-3
Percentage - 132.3%
Average for - 58
Average against - 44
Attack rank - 1st
Defence rank - 4th
Highest score - 78
Lowest score - 41
The perennial power Demons are sitting fourth on the ladder, but are proving to be the best attacking side.
Last year's runners-up are averaging 58 goals per game and are the team to have finished the closest to Bridgewater when beaten by five in round four.
But they are 1-3 against fellow top five sides, so need to rectify that in the second half of the season if they are to push into the top three and earn a double chance.
Standout - Christie Rogers.
5th - MAIDEN GULLY YCW
Record - 5-3
Percentage - 109.5%
Average for - 53
Average against - 49
Attack rank - 3rd
Defence rank - 6th
Highest score - 77
Lowest score - 36
The Eagles are the last of the "big five" teams that have established themselves as the league's clear standouts.
The season started off shakily with two heavy losses to Mitiamo and Bridgewater, but have since won five of their past six to lift a goal differential that had one stage been -49 back to +37.
Standout - Ally Symons.
6th - BL-SERPENTINE
Record - 3-5
Percentage - 78.9%
Average for - 37
Average against - 46
Attack rank - 8th
Defence rank - 5th
Highest score - 45
Lowest score - 28
The season has already been a significant improvement for the Bears.
Having gone winless last season, the Bears already have three wins on the board.
Highlighting their improvement, the Bears are averaging 15 more goals and conceding eight goals less per game than last season.
Standout - Emily Streader.
7th - MARONG
Record - 2-6
Percentage - 76.0%
Average for - 40
Average against - 52
Attack rank - 6th
Defence rank - 7th
Highest score - 56
Lowest score - 26
Beaten the two bottom sides in Inglewood (by 11) and Pyramid Hill (by 2).
Given the Panthers haven't won any more than four games in the past five years, if they can add another three victories in the second half of the season and get to at least five wins it would be a significant step forward.
Standout - Bianca Jones.
8th - INGLEWOOD
Record - 1-7
Percentage - 61.9%
Average for - 37
Average against - 59
Attack rank - 7th
Defence rank - 9th
Highest score - 45
Lowest score - 26
The Blues are back in the A Grade competition after being without a team last season.
Season highlight has been the thrilling 38-36 win over Pyramid Hill in round five in what was the Blues' first A Grade victory since the final round of 2016.
Standout - Lauren Lloyd.
9th - PYRAMID HILL
Record - 0-8
Percentage - 61.8%
Average for - 34
Average against - 54
Attack rank - 9th
Defence rank - 8th
Highest score - 46
Lowest score - 27
It's a young Pyramid Hill side taking to the court this season that is finding the going tough.
Still yet to break through for a win, but stiff not to have two on the board given they've lost twice by just two goals to Marong and Inglewood.
Standout - Rebecca McKnight.
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