The three-time defending champions have won only one of four starts to be sixth heading into round six of Newcastle championship netball on Saturday.

They play Kotara South, who are fifth after one win and three losses of their own. The Tigers past two defeats have been by just one goal.

Baggs has been unable to use championship shooters Maddie Taylor, Tarsha Hawley and Rhiannon Stokes due to restrictions placed on them by their NSW Premier League teams.

That has, however, provided opportunity for others and Love has not looked out of place playing in the top grade for the past two rounds.

"Kate is 15 and she's an outstanding talent," Baggs said. "She's on the netball NSW pathways and a definite star of the future. She's one of the most talented young girls I've coached in the sense that she's very coachable.

"Last Saturday, she out-rebounded [Nova Thunder's] Georgia McVey and Laura Nolan, which is unheard of, so I'm really impressed with her and, really, she would never have got the opportunity had those three other girls been back."

Third-placed Souths will look to bounce back after their first loss when they face second-placed Nova. Nova continued their undefeated start to the modified season with a 46-42 win over West last weekend while competition leaders University of Newcastle also stayed unbeaten with a six-goal victory over Souths. University play newcomers Inner Glow, who are fourth.

Junction Stella coach Louise Cooper said improvement and consistency remained the focus as they targeted their first win of the season against BNC Whanau, who will be looking to back up their 33-32 win over the Tigers last round.

"My defence end is really starting to jell with Emma Rumbel in there," Cooper said. kate "We've got some work to do on our attacking end. Our goal shooter, Clair Kowald, has been out with glandular fever and has just come in. She's consistent under the post, we just need to learn how to feed her and to start linking the parts of the court together. That's what we're working towards.

"I want it to be a positive experience, to be able to keep building and then go into 2021 with different goals."

AAP reports: Sam Poolman's Giants, who are six points adrift of the top four, play third-placed Sunshine Coast Lightning at USC Stadium tomorrow. Collingwood and the Thunderbirds play in Adelaide in the other match tomorrow. Today, the Vixens play West Coast Fever at Brisbane's Nissan Arena before the Swifts take on the Firebirds.