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READ MORE - Every game live as WNBL secures TV deal
THE Bendigo Spirit will continue its build-up to next week's tip-off to the WNBL with a third pre-season hit-out on Friday.
The Spirit will take on the Southside Flyers for what will be their second pre-season match against each other.
The two sides also met last week with the Flyers winning by 15 points, while the Spirit have also had a pre-season game against Melbourne in which the Boomers were victorious on Wednesday.
"We've had a couple of good hit-outs... we've tried some different combinations to see where the girls are at," Spirit coach Tracy York said on Thursday.
"Tessa Lavey has been a real leader for us on and off the court and she played really well for us last Friday against Southside.
"We rested her on Wednesday against Melbourne because she's had a fair workload... it's all about managing the group with the end game being ready to go for next week's start."
The Spirit is still in quarantine in Brisbane ahead of what's set to be a whirlwind of a WNBL season in the north Queensland hubs of Townsville, Cairns and Mackay.
The Spirit will play 14 games in just 29 days between November 12 and December 11, followed by a finals series if they are good enough to finish top four for the first time since 2014-15.
York has already dubbed the upcoming season as one that's set to be a "survival of the fittest" both physically and mentally.
Bendigo's first opponent next Thursday night in Townsville will be Southside - last season's runners-up that have landed the huge signing of superstar Liz Cambage.
"At this stage our preparations are tracking along well. We're looking forward to flying out of Brisbane on Monday and getting up to Townsville to get into the season," York said.
While in quarantine in Brisbane the Spirit have trained each morning at Nissan Arena before completing gym sessions during the afternoon.
It's a new-look Spirit roster of 12 that has been put together for what is the club's 14th season in the WNBL.
From last season's team that finished seventh with a 5-16 record, the only returning players are Carley Ernst, Tessa Lavey and Demi Skinner, while Alicia Froling was sidelined for all of 2019-20 with a wrist injury.
This will be York's second season as coach of the club.
BENDIGO SPIRIT SEASON FIXTURE:
v Southside Flyers
Thursday, November 12
at Townsville (9pm Bendigo time)
......................................
v Sydney Uni Flames
Saturday, November 14
at Townsville (3pm)
......................................
v Canberra Capitals
Monday, November 16
at Mackay (6pm)
......................................
v Perth Lynx
Wednesday, November 18
at Mackay (8pm)
......................................
v Townsville Fire
Saturday, November 21
at Townsville (5pm)
......................................
v Townsville Fire
Sunday, November 22
at Townsville (3pm)
......................................
v Adelaide Lightning
Tuesday, November 24
at Townsville (6pm)
......................................
v Canberra Capitals
Saturday, November 28
at Townsville (7.30pm)
......................................
v Perth Lynx
Tuesday, December 1
at Townsville (8pm)
......................................
v Southside Flyers
Thursday, December 3
at Cairns (9pm)
......................................
v Melbourne Boomers
Saturday, December 5
at Cairns (5pm)
......................................
v Sydney Uni Flames
Sunday, December 6
at Cairns (1pm)
......................................
v Adelaide Lightning
Wednesday, December 9
at Carins (8pm)
......................................
v Melbourne Boomers
Friday, December 11
at Cairns (6pm)
......................................
SPIRIT ROSTER
Alicia Froling
Amelia Todhunter
Carley Ernst
Cassidy McLean
Demi Skinner
Georgia Pineau
Jennie Rintala
Mary Goulding
Paige Price
Piper Dunlop
Shelby Britten
Tessa Lavey
Coach - Tracy York
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