'We're not getting ahead of ourselves': But Bears are building belief

The Bears, who had not won a LVFNL A-grade game in five years before this season, stunned the second-placed Bulldogs by five goals, helping solidify their own spot in fifth.

But while the Bears' first win over a top five team since 2015 was cause for huge celebration, O'Toole said her players were eager to keep their victory in perspective, knowing there was still much to play out in the final eight rounds of the season.

"To be honest, we didn't even discuss winning or losing on Saturday, we were just going to go out there and have a red-hot crack," she said.

"Obviously Pyramid Hill and Mitiamo have been the two best teams in the league, so all we did was go out and have a crack and play to our strengths.

"We knew it was going to be a grind all game, nothing flashy.

"We had to hold our own possession and just capitalise on the ball that we won.

"It was great to be honest.

"The belief is there. It probably was before this game, but it certainly is now.

"It's unreal. Being new to the club this year, I probably don't appreciate just how big it is for some people, but everyone else at the club is amazed.

"But we won't be getting ahead of ourselves.

"We realise we're still building and still have a damn long way to go."

O'Toole said the win was built on a true and full team effort, with Hannah Ilsley among the standouts with a brilliant game at goal attack.

"Hannah really stood up for us - she was full of confidence," she said.

"But to be honest, it was a full team effort. We won so much ball in our defensive end and our middies did their bit.

"Our turnover rate was quite low, which was great, and our shooters didn't miss a beat.

"We started with the ball and put four (goals) on the board straight away and from there we just managed to hold the lead.

"It may have got out to seven (goals) at one stage and they came back, but we were just able to hold our nerve."

The Bears' fifth win of the season has come on the heels of no wins in both 2022 and 2023.

They did not field an A-grade team in the COVID-shortened 2021 season, while the 2020 season was cancelled.

Adding to their momentum, the Bears were able to secure back-to-back wins for thre first time since rounds six and seven of the 2019 season against Pyramid Hill and Marong.

In a season where momentum has ebbed and flowed for most teams, O'Toole viewed consecutive wins as every bit as important in terms of key moments than breaking their top three hoodoo.

The Bears will get a solid chance to make it three in a row when they host Inglewood this Saturday.

The club has not won three straight A-grade netball games since 2017, when the Bears beat Inglewood, Maiden Gully YCW and Calivil United in rounds six through eight.

Coached by Cara Bastian, Bears Lagoon-Serpentine won six games that season and only missed the finals by one win and percentage.

A win over the Blues would match those six wins, which stands as the club's highest number of wins in the last decade.

O'Toole said it was a massive weekend all round for the Bears.

"We have sponsors day, the MND round and also comedy night, so we are looking forward to playing our hearts out and hopefully getting another win," she said.

"MND round is a big deal. Our netball operations manager (Chelsea Russell), her husband Patty, who is the reserves coach, has MND, so it's a really important day for us.

"But we just have to go out and play every game from here on its merits and not get ahead of ourselves.

"Our game plan is there, we just need to execute it like we did on Saturday.

"Beating a top-two side on Saturday certainly gives you belief."

In other round 11 matches, Marong (sixth) faces a must-win game against Newbridge (fourth), with both teams on the rebound from their respective losses last week against Mitiamo (first) and Bridgewater (second).

The Mean Machine host Maiden Gully YCW (seventh), while Pyramid Hill (second) will look to get back on track against Calivil United (eighth).

Mitiamo has the bye.