Words: Matt Dorman

Title favouritism goes up for grabs when Eastern Suburbs Women host Palm Beach SC Women on Saturday night with victory potentially decisive in the premiership race.

As goalscorers Tegan Riding and Deeanna Thompson shoot for the headlines, the result will just as equally rest on the performances of Easts goalkeeper Tash Mavrick and her Sharks counterpart Bianca Warrener.

The top-two fought out a 2-2 draw in the opening round of the season with Warrener keen to go one better away from home.

“To go top of the table is an added incentive to push ourselves that little bit harder to come up with three points on the weekend,” she said.

“Any games against your Eastern Suburbs, The Gap, UQFC, those really competitive teams, your mindset is always the same. You go in knowing it’s going to be a tough game.”

Sharks have impressed as much as any in the past three weeks, collecting all nine points, scoring 15 goals and conceding zero since suffering a first defeat of the season.

“That loss against UQFC seemed to really spark our team up,” Warrener said.

“We’ve been scoring plenty of goals which has been great.

“Last time we played Easts we actually drew with them but we had the majority of the run of play so hopefully we can come up with the win and cement our spot at the top of the table.”

Warrener had plenty of praise for her back four of Bronte Rose, Tayler Stevens, Kiri Dale and Ambrosia Malone, comments which Easts ‘keeper Tash Mavrick echoed about her own defence.

Garrath McPherson’s side have conceded just six times in addition to topping the scoring charts.

“My backline especially are great,” Mavrick said.

“There’s so much trust with them which makes me a lot more confident having them as my defenders.”

Mavrick has reclaimed her starting spot in the past two matches and kept a clean sheet in last week’s 6-0 defeat of Western Pride.

The 23-year-old’s return has been eased by a well-oiled machine.

“It’s good to be back,” she said.

“It was driving me crazy being on the sideline watching but it’s good to finally be back. I’ve played goalkeeper for as long as I can remember, it’s what I know and what I love.”

However, she understands the size of the task ahead at Heath Park to keep the likes of Thompson and Lauren Brown quiet.

“They’ve got very fast strikers,” Mavrick said.

“(Sharks) have always been strong so I’m looking forward to the challenge.

“I’m looking forward to getting my gloves dirty.”