A victory on Saturday would see Shepparton in the top half of the ladder with only six rounds remaining in the home and away season.
However, its opponent, Mansfield, despite its 2-9 record this year, has been competitive this season and by no means easy to beat.
Add in the fact that the Bears have to make the journey to Mansfield and slow starts often occur after a bye — this weekend is the second half of a split round 12 in Goulburn Valley League — and Saturday begins to look like a banana peel game for Shepparton.
Should the Bears start slow following their bye round slumber, the Eagles would be more than willing to swoop in and claim a victory at home.
Shepparton coach Stacey Thompson holds no concerns that her side will start sluggish following the bye; instead, she is glad for the respite it offered her players.
“We have had the bye, so the girls have had a good weekend off to rest some sore bodies,” Thompson said.
“Mansfield are obviously an improving side with a really strong attack end at the moment.
“Just making sure we have our defensive game plan ready.”
Their star goal shooter Kim Borger is one dominant force that will help the Bears secure victory.
Shepparton’s electric and physical attacker was instrumental in the Bears’ comeback against Mooroopna in round 11.
Had it not been for the Cats’ star power and professionalism to finish the game out — Mooroopna won with a goal after the siren — Borger’s effort would have been close to the performance of the season, having shot 44 out of the Bears’ 48 goals.
Thompson said she had been impressed with how the Bears had continued to build and grow in confidence throughout the year.
“The last little trot has been difficult with a few losses, but we have taken so much positivity out of those games — four goals (loss) to Echuca and one goal to Mooroopna; we are definitely heading in the right direction,” she said.
“Little things that we have been working on together are clicking now at the right time (of the season).
“With a new, really young team, they have had to learn to believe in the group and themselves and I think our last three weeks is starting to show they are starting to do that.”
Shepparton’s trip to Mansfield will be made more challenging by the loss of one of its stars, with a young gun centre heading off for higher honours.
“We are missing Mackenzie O’Dwyer this weekend because she is heading away to 17-and-under Aus camp,” she said.
“We are very excited for her and she is making the most of that opportunity.
“She has been on restricted minutes with load management for us the whole season, but in that Mooroopna game, she absolutely dominated in that third quarter for us; she is a huge loss, but we will internally be able to cover, but we will miss her smiling face.”
Mansfield will be eager to secure an upset win and draw level with Rochester (three wins) on the ladder.
The Eagles’ last victory was in round five against Kyabram, but since then, they have nearly beaten potential finalists Echuca and Shepparton United.
As said at the start, Mansfield is no easy beat and will be keen to win at home against Shepparton to prove to the rest of the competition that it is up-and-coming.
In other matches, dominant force Mooroopna will travel to Benalla.
The Saints will be looking to show some fight and resolve after having suffered 11 losses from as many matches this season.
However, their opponent, Mooroopna, is purring two-thirds of the way into the season, having only lost one match.
The final game of the split round 12 is a Sunday feature between Kyabram and Rochester.
Both sides’ last win came in round 10, with the Bombers (11th placed) and Tigers (ninth) both keen to claim the win and move further up the ladder.
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