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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
Sport

Key players gain valuable match minutes as Olympic eye strong finish in NPLW NNSW

HAPPY RETURN: Sophie O'Brien played the second half against New Lambton last weekend and scored a goal off a corner. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

Newcastle Olympic coach Paul DeVitis hopes to have a full complement of players available by the third and final round after a number of experienced personnel gained valuable match minutes last weekend.

Most NPLW Northern NSW teams will reach their season midpoint in the next week or two and Olympic look to be finally hitting their straps after a slow start to the 21-round campaign due to a string of injuries.

Jets striker Jemma House has returned from a leg injury to feature in their past three starts and produced her first 90-minute effort of the season in a 17-0 win over last-placed New Lambton on Saturday.

Versatile Alesha Clifford, whose season has been hampered by injury and illness, also played 90 minutes and Olympic captain and centre-back Sophie O'Brien gave a solid second-half performance. O'Brien has been nursing a hamstring complaint.

Keely Gawthrop could make her first appearance in first grade this season against Mid Coast at Darling Street Oval on Monday after playing 55 minutes in reserve grade last weekend. The experienced midfielder broke her ankle in pre-season.

Olympic, the 2020 premiers and champions and last year's second-placed side, have surged into fifth place and 15 points with three wins in a row.

"We've just been building," DeVitis said. "Certain people are getting more minutes and hopefully when we get to that last third of the season we'll have a fully fit squad."

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