MATCH PREVIEW | Saracens Mavericks vs Loughborough Lightning (NSL Rd 4)
Star shooter Emma Thacker is thriving in her first season with Mavericks and is relishing the challenge of facing her former side Loughborough Lightning this weekend.
After a tough defeat to local rivals Surrey Storm last weekend, Thacker knows her team will need to be at their best to beat the reigning champions at HSV on Sunday.
“Saturday was tough for us. We didn’t implement everything we wanted to on the court and didn’t stick to our game plan for the full 60 minutes. The first few weeks of the season are always tough but there’s a lot more to come from us. We’re really starting to find our flow and build those connections, especially on the court, but off the court as well.
“I think Sunday will be a really exciting game - there’s lots of good match ups across the whole court. Loughborough are a Championship side and execute everything they do so well, so we will need to put our best foot forward going into this game - remain positive, challenge as much ball as we can and be super calm in attack to get it through to goal.
“It’s all about the team performance on Sunday. We’ve got a great defensive unit who are turning over loads of ball so for us as attackers, it’s about remaining calm and executing what we’ve done in training.”
Thacker spent two years with Loughborough Lightning prior to joining Mavericks and is eagerly anticipating facing her former team mates on Sunday.
“It’s always nerve wracking playing your former side, but it’s also really exciting. I know the Mavs girls are around me and giving me lots of support going into this game.
“Having played and trained with the Loughborough girls for the last two years, I know their style of play well but they obviously also know my style of play! But I do think I’m playing a different brand of netball with Mavs which I’m really enjoying.”
Having won Player of the Match against Leeds Rhinos in the only home game of the season so far, Thacker will be hoping to replicate this form at HSV. As a key part of Camilla Buchanan’s side this season, Thacker has slotted into the team seamlessly and is enjoying her time with her new team mates.
“I’ve been loving my first season at Mavs. The girls have been super welcoming and it’s a really great environment to train and be competitive in. I want to keep playing the brand of netball that fits the Mavs style. Our ambitions as a team are still to push for a top four spot – which we can definitely do if we connect and keep developing. We’ve also got Ine coming back which is offering us something really strong in our attacking unit. We need to be really positive and put out our best performance.”
Report by Ayisha Gulati.
