HEATHCOTE co-coach Brooke Bolton has prioritised her side's defensive intensity as the key to overcoming the Grasshoppers in Saturday's HDFNL netball clash at Colbinabbin.
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The Saints will head into the round three contest at 2-0 following a hard-fought win over Lockington-Bamawm United last week at Barrack Reserve.
They have not started a season 3-0 for at least a decade.
The Saints have been forced to do plenty of juggling with their line-up in the early part of the season, starting with a season-ending knee injury to defender and co-coach Kelsey Hayes in a round one win against Mount Pleasant.
They suffered a second knee blow last week, with Chelsea Caughey, who was one of their best against the Cats, succumbing to injury.
Bolton said early indications were Caughey had only sustained ligament damage, with the results of scans expected some time on Friday.
It's hoped she will miss only a few weeks.
The Saints have brought in reinforcements, with Chloe Hill - an A-grade best and fairest winner with Goulburn Valley league club Benalla Saints in 2022 - slotting into defence in the second half against LBU.
Bolton said they had been 'very fortunate' to have secured such a capable replacement at this point of the season.
"One of our girls is friends with her and had mentioned that Chloe would be happy to fill in if for us if we needed someone," she said.
"She plays goal defence.
"After Kelsey's injury we gave her a call to ask if she was happy to be a bit more than a permanent fill-in.
"She stepped on in the second half last week and made a real impact.
"Being her first time with the team, she is only going to get better. I definitely think she will be one to watch for us in the coming weeks and the rest of the season.
"Hayley Hogan also had a strong impact for us last week when she stepped in and replaced Chelsea."
Bolton admitted it would be a tough challenge trying to topple a 'young and talented' Colbinabbin, which slipped to 0-2 following an eight-goal loss to massive improvers Leitchville-Gunbower.
"They've had a very rough start to the year, but in context, Leitchville has obviously significantly improved, and their other game was against Elmore," she said.
"And they have had some changes in their midcourt. But they are still a very good side.
"They will bounce back and still be one of the main contenders.
"One of the areas we have struggled in against them in recent years has been scoreboard pressure.
"We have been pretty happy with the way our goal shooters have been shooting, but maintaining our defensive intensity for a full four quarters is going to be a key.
"It (the intensity) really started to lift in the second half last week."
While she is yet to get a look at Heathcote this season, Colbinabbin coach McIntyre noted the strong early improvement from the Saints.
"Obviously Brooke is a seriously good player and she'll be dominant again no doubt," she said.
"Kelsey (Hayes) is a big loss with her injury, which is really unfortunate for them.
"I'm expecting another tough, hard game."
While the ladder might read 'Colbinabbin 0-2', McIntyre insisted there was still plenty going right for the Grasshoppers and she was optimistic fortunes could turn quickly.
"We are still going to be competitive. We were right in it with Leitchy - we won two quarters and lost two," she said.
"It's just the two we did lose, we lost by too much.
"It was the same against Elmore - we won two and lost two.
"We just need to make sure that we consistently play at that higher level the whole time.
"We're still a very young side. Mind you, Leitchville were young too, although I think we'd have them covered in age.
"That can happen with younger players, when they are under pressure for longer.
"That has been our pitfall against the likes of White Hills. Even in the grand final, we were able to win some quarters, or be close, but when we dropped away we really dropped away.
"That's on me to try and make them more consistent."
In other round three games, Leitchville-Gunbower will be aiming for a 3-0 start to the season against North Bendigo, which made Elmore work hard for a 52-41 win, after the Bulldogs trailed by seven-goals at quarter time.
Following a round two bye, Huntly (0-1) returns to action at Toolleen against Mount Pleasant (0-2), and Lockington-Bamawm United plays host to White Hills.
Elmore has the bye.
