Match Preview | Manchester Thunder vs Saracens Mavericks (NSL Rd 14)

Wing Attack Georgia Lees wants her side to respond against Manchester Thunder on Friday night.

Last weekend’s defeat to Leeds Rhinos halted the Mavericks’ recent momentum, but Lees believes her side can rediscover their recent form against the 2022 champions.

“For us, it’s all about how we bounce back. This week in practice, we really tried to change our mindset and get up. We’re focused on the next game in hand and we know it won’t be easy. It’s to reflect on the last time we played them and what lessons we can take away.

Lees admitted they were very disappointed after the result against Rhinos, feeling their work in attack meant they finished on the wrong side of the scoreboard.

“We were disappointed with the Rhinos result. We were all disappointed with the loss but also with the overall performance. Defensively we were outstanding and won enough of the ball to put ourselves in a position to win the game but we did too many bugs. It’s frustrating, but we’ll keep building.”

Lees has relished the role of vice-captain this season and expressed her hopes that she and her teammates can continue in the final five games of the season.

“Personally, I’ve really enjoyed this season. I’ve had a lot of time on the pitch at Wing Attack and I’ve enjoyed that. We’ve got five games left and for me it’s all about continuing to work on the attack. the structures and how we can build in pockets of space around the field to keep those feeding opportunities high. It’s been a tough run as a team so as vice-captain I want to look at how I can lift the team and press on for these last few games.”

It will be tough against Manchester Thunder tomorrow night, but Lees believes her side have learned a lot from their last outing against the league leaders earlier in the season at Wembley Arena.

“The Thunder are strong on the pitch and that’s why they’re at the top of the league. They’re good on the ball in attack and don’t waste a lot of the ball. Defensively, they have an England Rose in midfield and Circle defenders who will fly for interceptions. For us, it’s about focusing on the areas where we can expose their weaknesses. We’ve already played them once this year and learned a lot about what worked and what didn’t work. Friday’s game.”