Junction player-coach Kelly Wilson is excited to see what rising talent Elle Kaluski can deliver in a baptism of fire against Newcastle championship netball heavyweights Souths.
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Junction opened the season with back-to-back wins over Waratah (42-26) then BNC (57-30) before succumbing to five-time defending champions West Leagues Balance (56-43).
They approach round four at National Park on Saturday in a two-way tussle for third place with last year's minor premiers Souths and Wilson said defensive pressure would be key against the fit and firing Lions.
"They're great competitors," Wilson, who plays in the goal circle, said.
"The biggest thing that we touched on at training was denying their space in attack and trying to really step up in defence and a full-court defensive pressure.
"Souths are known to run out a full 60 minutes with just the seven, so we're well aware that our fitness needs to step up in this game and our effort as a full-court seven needs to be there."
Junction defender Sarah Graham is sidelined with an ankle injury until mid-June and Kaluski has been elevated from opens to take her place.
"Elle is from a basketball background and she brings quite a competitive, defensive pressure in that shooting circle, so we're really excited to see what she brings and how she steps up for the next six weeks in champs division," Wilson said.
"She's quite young, only 16-17. It's about giving those girls the opportunity when they come about and seeing what they can do with it.
"Souths are probably one of the tough games to do it, but I'm sure she's capable of it.
"It's about shutting Katelyn [Stansfield] and Danielle [Taylor] down. They're a formidable goal attack duo. Once they're on the court we know we've got to play that hard one-on-one defence to slow their game down as much as we can and put as much pressure on them to force that long shot."
Souths player-coach Narelle Eather was well aware Junction were a team on the improve and said a strong start would be imperative to set up victory.
"They're getting better and better and they're recruiting some strong, young athletic players from their juniors coming through and it's a bit of a turning of the tide for them," Eather said.
"I think they're going to be quite strong across the year for all of the top teams and there could be some upsets."
Unbeaten leaders Norths and West Leagues Balance play BNC and Waratah respectively.
Nova Thunder and Kotara South are both chasing their first wins of the season when they go head to head. All games are at 2.30pm.
In round five of Super Netball on Saturday, new franchise Melbourne Mavericks are looking to back up their first ever win when they host Adelaide while Sunshine Coast travel to winless Giants.
On Sunday, the fourth-placed NSW Swifts are at home to unbeaten pace-setters Melbourne Vixens. West Coast Fever and Queensland Firebirds were set to duel on Friday night.
