MATCH REACTION | Camilla Buchanan (NSL Rd 12)
04/05/2024 20:11
Head Coach Camilla Buchanan reflected on a positive showing from her side, as they pulled clear to secure back-to-back wins at home.
A cagey start saw Sirens run Mavericks close, but Buchanan maintained full confidence in her side, as they grew into the match despite having to deal with a late change to the starting line-up, as Britney Clarke came in for Ine-Mari Venter.
"It was a bit of a slow start, but we never lost confidence in the group out there. We knew that Brit and Emma were both going to be solid and do the job. It was going to be a question of how long it would take us to settle, and we made a few tactical changes as well to help us be more direct to goal, which worked well. I'm really happy with that end result."
Sirens have been rapidly improving all season and Buchanan praised the Scots for how they stuck in the match, expressing her joy at how her side hit the accelerator in the final quarter.
"We knew that Sirens were going to come at us and not let up. I'm really pleased with how we turned the screw in the last quarter. It's something we can still do more consistently. When this group play like we did in the final quarter, we can be pretty unstoppable, but it's that magic word of consistency that we'll continue searching for throughout."
It was an eventful day for Ine-Mari Venter, as she marked her 50th appearance for the club with an impressive showing, despite missing the start of the match with a nosebleed.
A week after Razia Quashie had made her 100th appearance for the club, Buchanan praised both stalwarts for what they have given to the club.
"Ine likes a bit of drama, so not being able to start because of a nosebleed is pretty on-brand! It's incredible that she and Raz last week have reached the landmarks they have at one club. Raz has been here since she was a youngster and has grown tremendously. It says a lot about her as a person to have shown the loyalty she has, and she fully deserved that accolade. Then Ine has made that 50 mark in four seasons which is incredible. She's a long way from home but considers this place to be a home from home. It's a privilege to have her in this side. She's a special player and I'm so happy for both of them."
After successive home fixtures, Mavericks now embark on three away games in a row, starting on Friday night against a Leeds Rhinos side who have found their groove in recent weeks.
Buchanan is expecting a challenging contest but insisted her side will be relishing the chance to silence the crowd.
"Away games present a new challenge but also with their perks. Going away from home, you always strive to try and silence the crowd, but we know that Rhinos are a side that are on the up at the moment. They've really turned a corner, so we know that our game plan is going to have to be incredibly strong. We've got some work to do, and we've changed up a few things around how we approach away days this season and we want to settle into the match. We're looking forward to attacking it as hard as we can and seeing what we can do on court."
