MOUNT Pleasant will look to take a giant step towards clinching the double chance for this year's HDFNL final series when it takes on Lockington-Bamawm United on Saturday.
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The Blues retained their two-win break over Colbinabbin (fourth) with a convincing 56-35 win over Huntly at Toolleen last Saturday.
A win this weekend over the Cats would make it a tighter squeeze for the Grasshoppers to snare third spot with only three more games to play.
Mount Pleasant and Colbinabbin are drawn to meet each other in round 18.
The Blues will have a pair of chances to consolidate third place before then against LBU and bottom side North Bendigo in round 17.
Mounts coach Carine Comer said her side would be taking no side lightly or anything for granted.
"Locky won't be easy by any stretch and North beat us last time, so we won't be putting a tick against any game until it's done," she said.
"We've had a pretty good year up to date, so hopefully we can just start to build from here and find our best form for finals.
"I'd like to think we are the third best team, but we are not a clear best third team and there are certainly no easy games.
"I'd like to get another look at Colbo post-bye as I reckon they are better now than they were when we last played them.
"But we will definitely need to be on our guard this weekend."
Comer could not have been happier with last weekend's 21-goal win over fifth-placed Huntly, the Blues' second 17-plus goal win over the Hawks this season.
"You take that any day of the week, don't you," she said.
"I thought we played a really good first half the previous week (against Leitchville-Gunbower), but Leitchy came back at us in the third quarter before we resettled.
"I feel we are starting to find a little bit of consistency now. We've had a couple of up and down games, but it's probably only the fourth week we've had as a full team.
"It's pleasing to get everyone back on the park and running around together."
We've had a pretty good year up to date, so hopefully we can just start to build from here and find our best form for finals.
- Mount Pleasant coach Carine Comer
The win did, however, come at a cost, with Megan Baird, who has settled back in the goal circle in recent weeks after spending much of the season at wing attack, injuring her knee.
A brilliant performance was led by former coach and defender Chantal Moore, who won the best on court medal presented to mark the 60th anniversary of Heathcote District netball, with great support from elusive midcourter Maeve Tupper, and goalers Baird and Liv Slattery.
The Blues have now won eight of 13 games and have qualified for a fifth straight finals series.
Equally as pleasing as their on-court effort against Huntly, the Blues were able to raise more than $6000 for the Breast Cancer Network Australia as part of the club's ladies' day.
It's a cause close to the hearts of all at Mount Pleasant.
"We've lost a few girls to breast cancer in the last 12 months to two years, so it's a bit more serious note to the day, but everyone showed great support and raised a heap of money," Comer said.
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