As we reach Easter the Co-operative Netball Superleague takes a tiny breather before pushing on to the end of an exciting and unexpected season. We have our play-off contenders confirmed but still with a bit of work to do before the endgame.
Surrey Storm, TeamBath, Hertfordshire Mavericks and Northern Thunder are the four who will do battle for the 2010 Co-operative Netball Superleague title. Just a couple of games left for the teams now jostling for those all important final table positions that will decide who will play whom and where in that last week of April.
It is now survival of the fittest, the worst possible time of year to lose a key player to injury and Mavericks will be without England defender Naida Hutchinson for some time. Last week she damaged one of her knee's anterior cruciate ligament. A lengthy period of rehab is on the cards, which is a major blow for Naida in a Commonwealth Games year. We wish her a speedy and total recovery.
At the other end of the court the Hertfordshire side have been missing Louisa Brownfield who is getting back to top gear after minor underarm surgery. The captain is determined to lead her team in the battle for the 2010 crown.
Northern Thunder's imposing new shooter Anastascia Wilson (aka Anis) seems to be settling in nicely. Stepping up to Superleague is a big ask but the Trinidad and Tobago goal machine seems to have been more than able to pull her weight so far. Her arrival has somewhat liberated Karen Greig from the post and inadvertantly added even more oompf to Thunder's midcourt attack, although it was not something they appeared to be lacking beforehand.
Out of all the title-chasers, the reigning champions TeamBath have probably got the most rotated squad. The 12 players have been sharing out the court-time trying and testing all possible combinations during top matches. Picking a starting seven for the west-country side is, I would suggest, trickier than jotting down your first-choice line-up for the other three teams. They will continue the defence of their crown confident with the depth of their squad with 12 players making equal claim on the seven starting bibs.
Finally Surrey Storm table toppers from their first ever Superleague victory. For them it must feel a little like the season is just getting going as they finally get to move house into their multi-million pound purpose-built new home. "Awesome, beautiful, amazing" are just some of the phrases being bandied around about The Surrey Sports Park, and I'm almost sure that my "source close to the club" was not focusing on the Harlequins rugby boys with whom they will share the deluxe facilities. Surrey are in the box seat but will need to continue their top form if they are to stay ahead to the end of the season.
